'Miraculous' Escape for Passengers in Tragic Runway Collision at Tokyo Airport

In a harrowing incident at Tokyo's Haneda airport, all passengers and crew on board a Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350-900 experienced a "miracle" escape after a deadly collision with a coastguard plane on the runway. The smaller coastguard aircraft, a De Havilland Canada DHC-8, was waiting to deliver aid to the earthquake-hit Noto peninsula.

The JAL flight burst into flames immediately after landing, striking the coastguard plane. Despite the severity of the collision, the captain managed to bring the burning aircraft to a stop. The evacuation process was deemed miraculous as all 379 passengers, including eight children, and 12 crew members successfully fled the smoke-filled cabin using inflatable slides at the front of the plane.

Tragically, five crew members on the coastguard plane lost their lives in the collision, while the captain managed to escape with injuries. The Tokyo fire department reported that 14 individuals evacuated from the JAL plane suffered minor injuries, including burns to the throat.

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The collision occurred when the JAL passenger plane landed on runway C, where the coastguard aircraft was also preparing to take off. Experts and witnesses described the evacuation as miraculous, given the severity of the impact and subsequent fire. Passengers spoke of their terror upon hearing the initial impact, witnessing flames, and the cabin filling with smoke.

Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances leading to the collision. The evacuation process and communication between air traffic control and the planes will be central to the inquiry. The incident led to the suspension of domestic flights for the day at Haneda airport, with international flights operating as scheduled. The tragedy struck a somber note as the coastguard plane crew was en route to deliver aid to victims of a recent earthquake.

The Australian prime minister confirmed that 12 Australians were on board during the crash, all of whom escaped uninjured. The aviation community and authorities express their condolences and gratitude to the crew members who lost their lives while on a mission to assist those affected by the earthquake.

"Japan Earthquakes: Urgent Rescue Efforts"

Japan's Prime Minister has declared a "battle against time" as the nation grapples with a series of major earthquakes, leaving at least 30 dead, dozens injured, and sparking fires that have destroyed homes. The urgent rescue mission faces significant challenges, with reports of bodies being recovered from collapsed buildings and others still trapped.

Fumio Kishida emphasized the need to swiftly rescue those trapped under structures during an emergency disaster meeting. To aid in the rescue operations, one thousand army personnel have been dispatched to the most severely affected region on the Noto peninsula. However, damaged and blocked roads, along with a closed airport due to runway cracks, have impeded the efforts.

In Wajima city, fires continued to burn on Tuesday morning, with over 100 homes and buildings reported as completely destroyed. Of the reported 30 casualties, 15 were in Wajima city, particularly around the Asachi-dori street, known for its many wooden buildings. The cause and full casualty numbers remain unclear.

The earthquakes, the largest registering a magnitude of 7.6 at a shallow depth of 10km, struck the west coast of Japan's main island on Monday, shaking buildings in Tokyo, approximately 300km away. The epicenter was on the Noto peninsula, resulting in concentrated loss of life and injuries.

Aftershocks are anticipated in the affected areas over the next few days, and coastal residents are advised not to return home despite lifted tsunami warnings. The Japanese public broadcaster NHK initially warned of potential high water levels, leading to evacuations to sports halls, schools, and public buildings.

Transportation systems, including bullet trains and flights, were suspended, major highways remained closed, and burst pipes disrupted water supplies in some areas. Mobile phone networks were damaged, though service restoration efforts were underway.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged support for Japan, urging affected British nationals to heed Japanese authorities' advice. US President Joe Biden expressed readiness to provide necessary assistance to the Japanese people.

While Japan is prone to earthquakes, a tsunami warning of this magnitude had not been issued since the devastating quake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed 18,000 lives. The disaster led to nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, resulting in most of Japan's nuclear power plants being shut down. Authorities have reported no rises in radiation levels or abnormalities at monitoring posts and reactors along the nearby coastline.

[Video] Powerful Earthquake 7.5-magnitude Hits Japan, Triggering Tsunami

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami alert and prompting an official warning to residents to evacuate affected coastal areas as soon as possible.

The earthquake struck at 4:10 p.m. local time at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along coastal regions of western Japan.