In the wake of the fiery runway plane crash at Tokyo's Haneda Airport yesterday, over 100 flights to and from the airport are reportedly being canceled on Wednesday, affecting more than 20,000 passengers, as disclosed by two Japanese carriers.
The cancellations include 54 domestic flights and one international flight for All Nippon Airways (ANA), along with 50 domestic Japan Airlines (JAL) flights. NHK reports that this will impact around 9,250 JAL passengers and a total of approximately 20,000 travelers.
As a response to the flight disruptions, Central Japan Railway Company plans to provide additional bullet train services on Wednesday, according to NHK.
The tragic plane crash occurred at 5:46 p.m. local time on Tuesday when a Japan Airlines (JAL) jet, carrying numerous passengers from Sapporo, collided with an earthquake relief aircraft and erupted in flames upon landing at Haneda. Regrettably, five individuals lost their lives in the incident.
JAL Flight 516, carrying 379 people, including eight children under the age of two, successfully evacuated all passengers from the aircraft, according to the airline. However, five crew members on the subsequent plane, a De Havilland Canada DHC-8, did not survive, according to Japan's transportation minister, Tetsuo Saito.
The incident unfolded suddenly as the plane landed at 5:46 p.m. The captain, having been cleared to land, likely did not see the Coast Guard's smaller Bombardier-built Dash 8 maritime patrol plane below, as per airline officials.
Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances of the crash, which aviation experts deem highly unusual. Despite advancements in ground tracking and procedures, runway accidents or incursions have significantly decreased in the aviation industry.
The survivor of the Coast Guard plane, Captain Genki Miyamoto, radioed his base after pulling himself from the wreckage, reporting the explosion on the runway and the uncertain condition of the other crew members. The other five crew members, aged between 27 and 56, tragically lost their lives.
Passengers on the JAL flight described chaotic scenes inside the cabin as smoke filled the air. Some pleaded for help, while others clung to screaming children. Video footage showed the urgency of the situation, with passengers evacuating via emergency chutes and firefighting units swiftly responding to extinguish the flames.
Despite the initial chaos, the airline assured that the evacuation commenced promptly, and all passengers were safely relocated within 20 minutes. A miraculous aspect noted by experts was the lack of personal belongings obstructing the evacuation, emphasizing the effectiveness of the cabin crew's actions.
As investigations unfold, questions linger among passengers and the public regarding the cause of the incident, with some expressing hesitations about flying again. The Japanese transportation ministry, however, asserted that the airline's evacuation procedures were executed appropriately.
Key points:
1.Flight Disruptions: A blaze on the runway preceding the current day has led to the cancellation of over 100 flights to and from Haneda Airport, impacting more than 20,000 passengers.
2.Carrier Impact: The canceled flights encompass both domestic and international routes, affecting major Japanese carriers like Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA).
3.Casualties: Tragically, the incident resulted in the loss of five lives, affecting both the crew of the Japan Airlines (JAL) flight and the occupants of the earthquake relief aircraft.
4.Evacuation Success: Despite the severity of the crash, the effective execution of evacuation procedures ensured the safe evacuation of all 379 passengers, including eight children under the age of two, from JAL Flight 516.
5.Coordinated Response: In response to the flight disruptions, Central Japan Railway Company is taking proactive measures by offering additional bullet train services to accommodate affected passengers.
6.Prompt Investigation: Authorities are actively engaged in investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Aviation experts highlight the rarity of such incidents in the modern aviation industry.
7.Unusual Circumstances: The crash occurred abruptly during the landing at 5:46 p.m. local time, with preliminary indications pointing to a potential lapse in communication between the JAL jet and a Coast Guard patrol plane on the runway.
8.Survivor's Account: Captain Genki Miyamoto, the sole survivor from the Coast Guard plane, recounted the explosion on the runway and the uncertain fate of the other crew members, shedding light on the chaotic immediate aftermath.
9.Passenger Chaos: Inside the JAL flight, passengers faced moments of panic as smoke filled the cabin. Video footage captured scenes of urgency, with passengers making urgent pleas for help and the deployment of evacuation chutes.
10.Miraculous Elements: Despite the chaos, the evacuation unfolded smoothly, with experts noting the absence of hindrances such as personal belongings. This was deemed a miraculous aspect of the incident, though concerns among passengers about flying safety underline the necessity for a comprehensive investigation to uncover the cause and prevent future occurrences.
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