Five people aboard a Japanese coastguard plane died Tuesday after their aircraft collided with a passenger plane at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
The coastguard plane was due to deliver aid to areas hit by Monday’s deadly earthquake.
State broadcaster NHK has also reported five dead. The captain escaped but is severely injured, it adds.
It’s believed the coastguard aircraft, which was taking food to areas hit by Monday’s powerful earthquake, collided with the Japan Airlines plane as it landed on the runway.
The coastguard plane was due to deliver aid to earthquake-hit areas.
All 379 people on board the burning Japan Airlines plane were evacuated, the airline said. Dramatic footage showed passengers fleeing the burning Japan Airlines plane on inflatable slides and running across the tarmac.
Fire ripped through the Japan Airlines flight 516 which had taken off from Hokkaido in northern Japan nearly two hours earlier.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida spoke to a group of reporters live on TV, confirming five of the six crew on the coastguard plane died while trying to get help to people affected by yesterday’s earthquake.
He extended his condolences to those who died while trying to serve people in need in the Noto area of Ishikawa prefecture.
The number of people killed in a powerful earthquake in Japan which caused homes to collapse and triggered tsunami warnings is now known to be 48.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said the quake has caused numerous casualties and they face a “race against time” to rescue survivors.
Around 1,000 rescuers are searching for people who they think may be trapped beneath the rubble.
The Japanese military has been handing out supplies including food, water and blankets for those who have had to leave home.
All tsunami advisories have now been lifted along the Sea of Japan, meaning there is no longer a risk of such an event.
President Joe Biden says the US stands ready to provide any necessary assistance.
The 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the central region of Japan a little after 16:00 local time on Monday. Collapsed buildings, smoking ruins and boats hanging from jetties are seen in aerial pictures taken near the epicentre of Monday’s earthquake in Japan.
Footage shows fire damage in the town of Wajima and the wrecked harbour in Suzu, both on the hard-hit Noto peninsula.
By Agencies
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