Japan News: 5 crew members killed in plane collision at Tokyo’s Haneda airport

Japan News: A Japan Airlines plane was engulfed in flames at Tokyo’s Haneda airport today after a collision with a Coast Guard aircraft. 

All 379 passengers and crew of the Japan Airlines plane escaped but five of the six crew of the coast guard plane were killed.

The Coast Guard said the collision involved one of its planes that was headed to Niigata airport on Japan’s west coast to deliver aid to areas hit by an earthquake.

Japan’s Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed that five of the coast guard aircraft’s crew had died. The captain of the aircraft was injured. A spokesperson at Japan Airlines said its aircraft had departed from New Chitose airport.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed relevant agencies to coordinate to assess the damage swiftly. He extended his condolences to those who died while trying to serve people in need.