Japan Airlines Plane Catches Fire at Haneda Airport; Collided with Japan Coast Guard Plane on Runway (UPDATE 2)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:25 JST, (updated at 19:30 JST)

A Japan Airlines plane caught fire on Runway C at Haneda Airport in Ota Ward, Tokyo, on Tuesday evening. The fire department was notified at around 5:55 p.m.

According to the Tokyo Fire Department and other entities, the Japan Airlines passenger aircraft and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, a Bombardier MA722, collided on the runway, and firefighting operations are underway.

According to Japan Airlines, the aircraft that caught fire is believed to be Flight 516 from Shin-Chitose in Hokkaido to Haneda.

It is reported that 379 passengers and crew on the JAL airplane escaped and were safe. Meanwhile, according to the Japan Coast Guard, one of the six crew members aboard the crashed aircraft escaped, but the safety of five others was not known.

The runway is closed, and JAL is checking to see if anyone was injured.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to do their utmost to rescue the victims and to quickly assess the damage in response to the accident.

According to NHK TV footage, flames broke out as soon as the Japan Airlines plane landed at the airport, and the plane was seen proceeding down the runway in flames. After the flight stopped, black smoke continued to rise from the rear of the aircraft, and flames could be seen rising from inside the aircraft.