The burn-out Japanese coast guard aircraft is seen at rear behind the logo of Japan Airline at Haneda airport on Jan 3, 2024, in Tokyo. - Kyodo News via AP
TOKYO: As investigators probed the cause of the spectacular collision between a Japanese passenger plane and a coastguard aircraft at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Wednesday (jANthat it was probably the result of human error.
Citing the Ministry of Transport, Kyodo reported that the coastguard aircraft did not have permission to take off and land on the runway, which was evident from the communication data between the aircraft and air traffic control.
However, the pilot who survived the accident made a statement to the contrary, telling investigators that he had been given the green light for the runway on which the collision occurred.
The Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger plane collided with the coastguard plane immediately after landing on Tuesday. Both caught fire.
While all 379 people on board the Airbus A350 passenger plane were able to escape the burning aircraft without life-threatening injuries, help came too late for five people on board the coastguard aircraft. Only the pilot of the Bombardier DHC8-300 escaped the aircraft with injuries.
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB), a government agency responsible for serious accidents involving aircraft, trains and ships, was meanwhile taking a close look at the burnt-out wreckage, Kyodo reported earlier.
The flaming inferno on the JAL aircraft was brought under control more than eight hours after the collision.
The coastguard plane involved in the accident was carrying relief supplies for the survivors of the series of earthquakes to the badly affected Noto Peninsula.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida countered fears on Wednesday that the accident could hinder the rapid delivery of aid to the earthquake region in the west of the country.
A JAL statement said the airline "will provide [its] full cooperation in the investigation of this unfortunate event."
Airbus said it will provide technical support to the responsible authorities investigating the incident. The A350-900 was only two years old, according to Airbus.
A statement from Airbus expressed its sympathy for all those affected by the accident.
All runways at Japan's busiest airport were temporarily closed on the day of the accident, but were reopened, except for runway 34R, the site of the accident.
JAL cancelled more than 40 flights to and from Haneda on Wednesday. Fellow Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) also cancelled dozens of flights going to or from the airport. - dpa
