One of the 379 survivors aboard a Japanese jet that caught fire after landing in Tokyo on Tuesday described how the miraculous, “chaotic,” 18-minute evacuation unfolded.
Japan Airlines Flight 516 collided with a military earthquake relief jet after landing at Haneda International Airport at 5:47 p.m., causing the coastguard plane to explode into a fireball, killing five of the six people on board.
Chilling video shows the plane’s left wing on fire as the commercial jet comes to a halt, with passengers trapped in the smoke-filled cabin screaming in terror.
Over the next 18 minutes, the plane’s crew worked against a number of obstacles — including a door that wouldn’t open immediately, a failing PA system and a blocked chute — to make sure everyone inside was evacuated, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Amidst the chaos, a child reportedly shouted, “Open the door, please!”
By 6:05 pm, all 367 passengers and 12 crew members had successfully departed.
A passenger told the newspaper how his and his teammates’ survival instincts and teamwork came into play.
The complete evacuation of the fiery plane took 18 minutes, but all 379 people on board Japan Airlines Flight 516 were able to be disembarked before the plane was completely engulfed. AP One passenger estimated that it took up to five minutes to open the door, and airline officials said only three of the eight emergency chutes could be used. AP
Joseph Hayashi, 28, a Dallas native who works in Tokyo, said he was initially relieved when the wheel landed on the runway.
“I thought, ‘OK, smooth landing, cool,'” he told the newspaper. “And then literally the next second there’s this huge collision and you hear this huge boom.”
Panic immediately ensued as smoke filled the cabin from the fire that engulfed the exterior of the plane as the lights went out.
“I’m not a scientist, but I know that fire and jet fuel are not a good recipe,” Hayashi, who was in seat 27B, said of the initial reaction.
Hayashi told the newspaper that it took about three to five minutes for flight attendants to open the door while panicked passengers crowded forward.
“It’s not like total rejection, but this is the first time I’ve seen Japanese people rejecting each other,” he said.
Japan Airlines Flight 516 burst into flames after crashing into a Japanese coast guard plane while landing on January 2, 2024. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images Miraculously, only about a dozen people on board suffered minor injuries. AP
Airline officials explained that it took time to open the doors because the attendants needed confirmation that the plane had come to a complete stop and was safe to evacuate.
Hayashi said it suddenly “went quiet” on board because of the confusion, and that he took a cue from a seatmate who apparently knew about emergency procedures.
With the plane’s public address system out of commission, flight attendants reportedly had to shout or use megaphones to instruct passengers to leave their belongings and remove their heels as soon as the doors opened.
Miraculously, only about a dozen people suffered minor injuries such as bruises and sprains during the evacuation, according to the report.
Pictures emerged early Wednesday of the scene outside Haneda International Airport, where only the wings and tail of the Japan Airlines plane remained on the runway. ZUMAPRESS.com authorities said the passenger plane had received permission to land, while air traffic controllers told coast guard crews to “hold on.” AFP via Getty Images
Airline officials have noted very successful results to readiness.
Airlines are required to be able to prove to international regulators that they can evacuate planes within 90 seconds before they are allowed to operate, but simulations with actors and debris props cannot replicate a real disaster, experts told the newspaper.
In the case of Flight JL516, the plane’s nose was pointed down when it finally came to rest, making it more difficult to navigate the runway and emergency exit, according to the article.
The cause of the fatal disaster is being investigated by the transport ministry and the Japanese coast guard.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
