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.
The evacuation of the twin-engine airliner has been praised as an extraordinary success, although the Japanese coastguard was mourning the death of five of the six crew from one of its aircraft, which was destroyed in the collision.
How did the accident happen?
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.
What were the aircraft doing?
The Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 aircraft had departed from New Chitose airport on the mountainous northern island of Hokkaido and landed in Haneda shortly before 6pm (9am GMT).
The coastguard said the collision involved a plane, a Bombardier-built Dash 8, that was headed to Niigata airport on Japan’s west coast to deliver aid to those caught up in a powerful earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day, killing at least 55 people.
The captain of the coastguard aircraft escaped the blaze but was injured.
Aviation accidents involving passenger jets have become extremely rare in recent decades, with airports and airlines implementing new procedures and technologies that have drastically reduced the risk of collision.
How did everyone escape the passenger plane?
While details are not confirmed, footage taken inside the jet showed the main body of the plane intact after landing, but with flames outside and smoke inside the cabin.
Images shared on social media showed passengers running across the tarmac away from an evacuation slide. More than 70 fire engines fought the flames and all 367 passengers, including eight children, plus 12 crew fled to safety.
The broadcaster NHK, citing the Tokyo fire department, said at least 17 of the people evacuated from the passenger plane were injured.
What happened to the coastguard aircraft?
Footage shows that the Dash 8 plane may have exploded on impact, with intense fire spreading over a large area of the airport.
Haneda, which was closed for several hours, is one of the two main airports serving the Japanese capital. The flights were operating during the new year holidays, one of the busiest travel periods in Japan.
