KUALA LUMPUR – An air traffic controller allegedly gave permission to Japan Airlines’ (JAL) Airbus A350-900 to land as well as ordered the coast guard aircraft to hold short of the Haneda Airport runway before the two planes collided yesterday.
The coast guard’s De Havilland Canada DHC-8, which is a turboprop-powered plane, belongs to the Haneda Airport base. Public broadcaster NHK in its report quoted a source from the Transport Ministry.
Holding short of the runway means to wait and stay away from the runway. It also means pilots must stop so no part of the aircraft extends beyond the holding position.
JAL said its crew members confirmed that landing permission was given by the controller and that they had repeated it before landing.
Six investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board have begun an investigation into the incident.
The 6pm collision resulted in the deaths of five coast guard members, while its captain was severely injured.
All 379 of JAL’s passengers and crew were evacuated. However, 14 passengers were injured and are being treated at hospitals.
JAL Flight 516 was landing on Haneda’s C-runway from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.
The coast guard aircraft was scheduled to fly to Niigata to participate in quake relief efforts.
The Malaysian embassy in Tokyo is working with JAL officials and local authorities to ascertain whether any Malaysians were aboard the passenger jet.
On the other side of Honshu island, a 7.6-magnitude quake hit the Sea of Japan at about 4pm (3pm Malaysia time) on New Year’s Day, triggering tsunami waves of more than 1m high and killing at least 55 people in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Rescuers are working against time to find those still trapped under the rubble in freezing temperatures.
Wisma Putra said it had not received any reports of Malaysian casualties from the quake that shook parts of central and west Japan. – January 3, 2024