Ten Hongkongers aboard a Japan Airlines flight that burst into flames at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport after colliding with a coast guard aircraft on Tuesday have been confirmed as safe.
A collision occurred between the Japan Airlines flight, which had originated in New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at around 5.47 pm at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday evening, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Five Japan Coast Guard officials were confirmed dead after the incident. The aircraft’s captain managed to escape.
Hong Kong’s Immigration Department told local media on Tuesday that it had received calls for help from 10 Hongkongers aboard the flight as of 8 pm Hong Kong time. They were among 379 passengers and crew on the Japan Airlines flight who were evacuated safety.
“The Immigration Department will refer the cases to the embassy to provide all possible assistance,” the statement read.
The department said it would refer the 10 Hong Kong residents to the Chinese embassy in Japan, adding that it would maintain close contact with the affected residents, as well as government departments, the embassy, the Economic and Trade Office, the Travel Industry Authority, the Travel Industry Council, and airlines.
See also: Hong Kong’s air accident watchdog releases preliminary probe into Cathay Pacific’s aborted flight
Separately, a spokesperson for the Airport Authority Hong Kong said at least five flights between Hong Kong International Airport and Haneda Airport had been affected, and reminded passengers to check flight status updates before heading to the airport.
HK Express also issued a statement regarding flight arrangements between Hong Kong and Haneda, listing six adjustments for flights originally scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Coast Guard team was preparing to head to Niigata airport to deliver relief to residents affected by an earthquake that struck Ishikawa prefecture on New Year’s Day.
Footage of the collision showed flames engulfing the Airbus A350 airliner as it landed on the runway. The blaze continued as the craft came to a halt on the tarmac.
“I felt a bump, like the aircraft was colliding with something when touching down. I saw a spark outside the window and the cabin was filled with gas and smoke,” one of the passengers told Kyodo News.
Passengers escaped via an evacuation slide and ran to safety, online and news footage showed.
Investigation
The Japan Transport Safety Board will lead an investigation into Tuesday’s collision, Kyodo News reported, while the BEA, France’s forensic air safety agency, is also planning to send a team to Japan.
Airbus will send a specialist team to join the probe, the aviation giant said in a statement, adding that the Japan Airlines plane was equipped with engines produced by Britain’s Rolls-Royce.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said it had launched an investigation into the accident to probe for professional negligence resulting in death and injury.
Japan Airlines officials said at a press briefing on Tuesday night that the flight had secured landing permission from air traffic control.
“One obvious question is whether the coastguard plane was on the runway and if so why,” UK-based consultancy Ascend by Cirium’s director of aviation safety Paul Hayes told Reuters.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during a news conference that it was “extremely regrettable and distressing” that the five Coast Guard officers had died, and offered his condolences to their families.
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