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Japan plane carrying 379 collides with coast guard aircraft: Top updates
Fire at Japan Airport: A possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft is being seen as the reason for the blaze on the plane.
A fire broke out in a plane on a runway at Japan's Tokyo Haneda airport on Tuesday, according to footage broadcast by country's public broadcaster NHK. Flames were seen coming out of the windows of an aircraft.
A possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft is being seen as the reason for the blaze on the plane, Nippon TV reported. Haneda is one of the busiest airports in Japan.
In pics: Plane in flames at Tokyo airport after colliding with aircraft
Was the fire because of collision?
NHK reported that it is believed that the plane was hit by another aircraft, possibly a Japan Coast Guard plane. Japan's Coast Guard said that it is checking reports about a collision between its aircraft and the plane.
A coast guard official at Haneda Airport said as per news agency AFP that they were “checking details” as "it's not clear if there was a collision. But it is certain that our plane is involved.
What Japan airlines spokesperson said
A spokesperson at Japan Airlines said the aircraft originated from Shin-Chitose airport in Hokkaido and was carrying more than 300 passengers.
All 367 passengers have been evacuated from the blazing plane, AFP reported citing NHK.
What reports have claimed so far
The runway was also set alight, it was reported. The plane was said to be of the Japan Airlines. The incident, BBC reported, happened when the plane was landing on the runway at Haneda airport.
It was also reported that the plane, JAL 516, had taken off from Hokkaido.
NHK also showed fire crews working to put out the fire. It wasn't immediately clear what had happened or if there were injuries.
More on Japan's commercial aviation accidents
Japan has not suffered a serious commercial aviation accident in decades. The country's worst ever accident was in 1985, when a JAL jumbo jet flying from Tokyo to Osaka crashed in central Gunma region. Then, 520 passengers and crew were killed.
