By THE NEW YORK TIMES
A Japan Airlines plane burst into flames while landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo shortly before 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
The airline reported that all 367 passengers and 12 crew members had evacuated the plane, which collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, the public broadcaster, NHK, said. One member of the crew of the fixed-wing Coast Guard plane evacuated that aircraft, but another five were unaccounted for, the broadcaster reported.
The Coast Guard plane had been bound for western Japan to deliver supplies after the powerful earthquake that struck the region on Monday, according to NHK.
Footage aired by the broadcaster showed the Japan Airlines plane on fire as it streaked across a runway. NHK reported that the plane, Flight 516, had departed New Chitose Airport in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido and was scheduled to land in Haneda at 5:40 p.m.
Live footage after 6 p.m. showed firefighters trying to contain flames pouring out of the fuselage on the left side of the plane, as well as from the top of the plane.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Discussion about this post