Airbus issued a statement today expressing deep regret and offering full support to the authorities following a collision involving a Japan Airlines (JAL) A350-900 (flight JAL516) at Haneda International Airport.
The incident occurred shortly after 5:47 p.m. local time while the aircraft was landing in Tokyo. The Airbus jet, registered JA13XJ and delivered to the Japanese carrier in November 2021, collided with a DHC-8 aircraft during the landing phase.
All 367 passengers and 12 crew members aboard the A350 were able to evacuate safely. However, tragically, five of the six individuals on the DHC-8 aircraft perished.
“Our concerns and sympathy go to the families, friends, and loved ones affected by the accident,” stated Airbus in its official release.
The exact cause of the collision remains under investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) and the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) of France. Airbus confirmed full compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 recommendations and pledged its full technical assistance to both investigative bodies.
“For this purpose, Airbus is presently dispatching a team of specialists to assist the Authorities,” the statement continued.
The incident marks the first A350 accident resulting in a complete hull loss. As JAL flight 516 approached Tokyo’s Haneda Airport late on Tuesday afternoon, all signs pointed to an uneventful conclusion to the routine 1.5-hour journey from Sapporo in northern Japan.
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