The Guardian
The evacuation of a Japan Airlines plane has been praised as a success, but the coastguard mourned the death of five of the six crew from one of its aircraft
All 379 passengers and crew on a Japan Airlines plane have made a miraculous escape after the jet hit another aircraft when landing at Haneda airport in Tokyo and hurtled down the runway in flames.
There had been no reports of engine or other problems before Japan Airlines flight 516 landed, a transport ministry official said.
Footage from the airport showed the passenger plane appearing to smash into an object while landing, suggesting the coastguard aircraft may have still been on the runway or close to it.
Previous airport accidents at night – or in bad weather such as fog – have occurred when one plane has not left the active runway before a landing aircraft touches down or takes off.
The Japanese transport minister, Tetsuo Saito, said the cause of the accident was unclear and that the transport safety board, police and other departments would investigate.
