TOKYO — A passenger plane collided with a coast guard aircraft and burst into flames as it landed at a Tokyo airport Tuesday, killing five people, officials said.
All 379 passengers and crew were able to make it out of the Japan Airlines plane, Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said at a news conference. The coast guard pilot escaped but five crewmembers were killed, he added.
The aircraft was going to fly earthquake relief to Niigata prefecture on the country’s west coast after a series of strong tremors killed at least 48 people and left widespread damage, Saito said.
Dramatic footage from Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed plumes of orange fire and black smoke engulfing the passenger jet as it landed at Haneda airport in the country’s capital.
Video showed the plane’s side and areas around the wing on fire at first as it taxied on the runway, before the fire spread to the cabin and rescue crews rushed to the tarmac.
There was no immediate information about the cause of the incident, Saito said.
