Japan - Tokyo airport: Plane catches fire on landing
All 400 passengers on a plane that caught fire at Tokyo's Haneda Airport have been able to leave the aircraft. This was announced by the airline Japan Airlines (JAL) on Tuesday evening. The passenger plane had collided with a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft on landing at Tokyo airport, Japanese media reported, citing the Ministry of Transportation.
The JAL aircraft, flight number 516, coming from Hokkaido in northern Japan, caught fire on the runway and burned out completely. There were 367 passengers and 12 crew members on board. They were able to leave the JAL aircraft.
As the television station TBS reported, the Coast Guard aircraft was on its way to deliver materials to the earthquake zone on the west coast of the country. At least 48 people have died in a series of earthquakes there since New Year's Day. There was severe damage. The pilot of the plane was injured, it was reported. The fate of the other five people on board the coastguard plane was initially unknown. Images from the television station TBS showed the passengers of the JAL aircraft leaving the plane via an emergency slide while firefighting work was being carried out. All runways were closed, according to the ministry.
Read also:
- Floods: water levels remain critical in many places
- Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
- Continuous operation in the flood areas
- Flood situation remains tense in many places
Source: www.stern.de
