12 Australians Onboard Japan Plane Safe: Australian PM Albanese

Following the accident between a Japan Airlines aircraft and a Japan Coast Guard plane, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has cleared that the 12 Australians on board the Japan Airlines flight are safe. Taking to to X, formerly known as Twitter, Australian PM stated that Canberra is ready to provide all the support required by Japan in this crisis.

"There were 12 Australians on the Japan Airlines flight. All of them are safe. And all of them have been accounted for," mentioned PM Albanese. Further, he added, "Our hearts go out to our friends in Japan, both for the impact of the earthquake that has seen a considerable loss of life, as well, of course, we know that there are ongoing issues as a result of that major earthquake, including the potential for Tsunamis and other activity there." The Australian PM also promised to offer whatever support is requested by Japan.

Japan plane on fire in Tokyo airport: All you need to know

1. Airbus, the European multinational aerospace corporation, has expressed regret over the collision of a Japan Airlines aircraft and a Japan Coast Guard plane, which claimed five lives.
2. Technical assistance will be provided by Airbus to the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) of France and to the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB), the agencies in charge of the investigation.
3. A statement from Airbus confirmed the involvement of an A350-900 operated by Japan Airlines in the accident during flight JAL516 from Sapporo New Chitose Airport to Haneda International Airport on January 2, 2024.
4. All 367 passengers and 12 crew members on-board evacuated the aircraft, and the A350 collided with a DHC-8 aircraft at landing in Haneda. The Japanese authorities have confirmed that sadly, five of the six people on board the DHC-8 did not survive.
5. The tragic incident occurred at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday, with all 379 passengers aboard the JAL flight from Sapporo, including eight children, escaping without life-threatening injuries.
6. The cause of the accident remains unknown, prompting the transport ministry to initiate an investigation into the aircraft's communications with flight control, according to Kyodo News.
7. Tragically, five of the six coast guard members on the plane, aged 27 to 56, lost their lives in the crash, while the captain managed to escape, according to police reports.
8. The immediate response of the airport was to close all four runways, causing significant disruptions to air traffic during one of the busiest travel seasons.
9. Subsequently, three of the four runways, excluding the one where the collision occurred, were reopened around 9:30 pm, according to the transport ministry.