Miracle of Flight 516: Dramatic rescue of 379 passengers and crew after plane erupts in fireball at Tokyo airport

2 January 2024, 09:25 | Updated: 2 January 2024, 12:05

All 379 passengers and crew have been rescued from a burning Japanese passenger plane, which burst into flames after colliding with a coast guard aircraft while landing.

Footage shows the Japan Airlines aircraft, which had passengers aboard, ablaze and a fireball emerging as it speeds down the runway at Haneda airport in Tokyo.

All onboard escaped without serious injuries, including eight children.

The coast guard pilot managed to escape the crash.

The other five members of the crew have been found but their condition is not yet confirmed.

An official from the service told Japanese media their aircraft was preparing to fly to Niigata on a mercy mission after the devastating series of earthquakes, with left at least 48 people dead.

Rescuers are scrambling to pull any survivors from the rubble in the country's west.

Read more: At least 48 people dead in Japan earthquake, as rescuers 'battle against time' to free survivors from rubble

The passenger plane, JAL 516, had taken off from the northern island of Hokkaido with 367 passengers, and all have been evacuated along with 12 crew members.

It left New Chitose airport in Sapporo at 4pm (7am UK) and was due to land at 5.40pm.

Firefighters were on the runway tackling the blaze, which burned the plane into two sections as it snapped in half.

"We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," the airline said.

The British embassy in Japan said: "We are aware of a fire on a JAL flight at Haneda airport. We are in touch with the authorities."

Japan has endured a devastating start to 2024, as about 50 earthquakes devastated the western part of the country's centre. The largest measured a magnitude of 7.6.

Besides the current death toll of 48, rescuers are racing against time to save anyone who could be trapped under the rubble.

Tsunami warnings were also issued - though the country survived a repeat of the devastating waves of 2011.