© Reuters. Officers examine a burnt Japan Coast Guard plane after a collision with Japan Airways’ (JAL) Airbus A350 aircraft at Haneda Worldwide Airport in Tokyo, Japan January 3, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato
By Kaori Kaneko and Lisa Barrington
TOKYO (Reuters) – Police will examine whether or not a crash between an airliner and a smaller aircraft at a Tokyo airport might contain skilled negligence, media retailers reported on Wednesday, as authorities started inspecting the charred wreckage and runway for clues.
All 379 individuals miraculously escaped the Japan Airways (JAL) Airbus A350 which erupted into flames after colliding with a De Havilland Sprint-8 Coast Guard turboprop shortly after touchdown at Haneda on Tuesday night.
5 of the six Coast Guard crew, responding to a significant earthquake within the nation’s west, died.
As soon as a recurring security drawback, aviation specialists say the variety of such runway collisions or incursions have turn into far much less frequent with trendy floor monitoring know-how and procedures.
The crash got here simply weeks after the worldwide airline trade heard contemporary warnings about runway security.
Japan Airways stated in a press release on Tuesday the plane recognised and repeated the touchdown permission from air site visitors management earlier than approaching and touching down.
Based on air site visitors management recordings obtainable at liveATC.internet, the JAL aircraft was cleared to land at 1745 native time, minutes earlier than authorities say the collision occurred.
The Coast Guard has declined to touch upon the precise circumstances surrounding the crash, together with why the aircraft was on the runway and whether or not it was stationary or shifting when catastrophe struck.
The aircraft, certainly one of six Coast Guard plane based mostly on the airport, had been concerned in a mission to ship support to areas hit by a lethal earthquake on Monday.
TWO INVESTIGATIONS
Japanese authorities say the reason for the crash stays unclear.
Metropolitan Police Division will conduct an examine into whether or not attainable skilled negligence led to deaths and accidents, information retailers together with Kyodo information company, Jiji and Nippon TV reported, citing police sources.
A police spokesperson stated a particular investigation unit had arrange on the airport and was investigating the runway and planning to interview individuals concerned, however declined to touch upon whether or not they have been trying into attainable skilled negligence.
In addition to the police probe, the Japan Security Transport Board (JTSB) can also be investigating the crash, with participation from companies in France, the place the Airbus airplane was constructed, and Britain the place its two Rolls-Royce (OTC:) engines have been manufactured, individuals aware of the matter stated.
Airbus stated it was additionally sending technical advisers to help within the investigation.
JTSB has recovered flight and voice recorders from the coast guard plane, Kyodo information company reported, citing the company.
Whereas all passengers and crew have been evacuated round 20 minutes after the crash, the plane was fully engulfed in flames and burned for greater than six hours, the airline stated.
Authorities have been set to start work to take away the charred stays of the JAL plane within the afternoon, Kyodo reported, whereas TV footage confirmed police and fireplace division personnel inspecting the location of the accident on Wednesday.
