KUALA LUMPUR – European planemaker Airbus has dispatched a team of specialists to assist the French air safety authority (BEA) and the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) in their investigation into yesterday’s Japan Airlines (JAL) collision with a coast guard aircraft.
Airbus said the A350-900 was just over two years old as the passenger jet was delivered to the carrier on November 10, 2021 and was powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.
“In line with International Civil Aviation Organisation Annex 13 recommendations, Airbus will provide technical assistance to the BEA of France and to the JTSB in charge of the investigation,” it said in a statement.
“The exact circumstances of the event are still unknown.”
When landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo yesterday, JAL’s A350 collided with a DHC-8 aircraft belonging to the Japan coast guard.
Public broadcaster NHK today reported that an air traffic controller allegedly gave permission to JAL to land as well as ordered the coast guard aircraft to hold short of the Haneda Airport runway before the two planes collided.
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.
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. – January 3, 2024