TOKYO: Japan’s transport authorities began inspecting on Wednesday (Jan 3) the charred remains of a passenger jet and a coast guard plane that collided at a Tokyo airport, while media said police were also investigating possible professional negligence in the case.
All 379 people aboard the Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 had a miraculous escape after it erupted in flame following Tuesday’s crash with a De Havilland Dash-8 Coast Guard turboprop shortly after landing at Haneda airport.
But five died among the six Coast Guard crew responding to a major earthquake on the west coast, while the captain, who escaped the wreckage, was badly injured.
Such runway collisions, once a recurring safety problem, have become far less frequent, say aviation experts, thanks to modern ground tracking technology and procedures.
Japanese authorities say the cause of the crash is unclear.
The Japan Safety Transport Board (JTSB) is investigating the incident, with participation by agencies in France, where the Airbus airplane was built, and Britain, where its two Rolls-Royce engines were made, people familiar with the matter said.
The JTSB has recovered flight and voice recorders from the coast guard aircraft, Kyodo news agency said, citing the agency.
Source: CNA
