Terrifying scenes as passengers evacuate during blaze at Tokyo’s Haneda airport
In a harrowing incident, Japan Airlines Flight 516 experienced a catastrophic landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, erupting into flames upon touchdown. The flight had originated from New Chitose Airport on Hokkaido island and landed at Haneda on Tuesday evening. Disturbing footage circulating on social media reveals the plane engulfed in flames, with passengers evacuating through inflatable slides amidst thick smoke.
A passenger onboard shared videos and images, capturing the chaotic scenes inside the aircraft. One caption expressed the passenger’s fear, stating, “I thought I was going to die.” Emergency services rushed to the scene to combat the fire, but despite their efforts, the aircraft remained ablaze two hours after the incident.
Japan Airlines reported that all 379 individuals on the plane, including 367 passengers and 12 crew members, were safely evacuated. However, concerns persist for occupants of another aircraft as assessments continue. The incident involved a collision with a coast guard plane en route to Niigata Airport for earthquake relief efforts. The coast guard plane’s pilot was evacuated safely, while the condition of the remaining five crew members is yet to be confirmed.
Authorities have closed all runways at Haneda Airport, leading to the suspension of all flights. The collision between the two aircraft is under investigation, raising questions about the circumstances that led to this terrifying incident.