Contradictory Claims Arise after Deadly Plane Collision in Tokyo
The Japanese passenger plane that collided with a coast guard plane on Tuesday was cleared to land. This is evident from released instructions from the control tower. The pilot of the Coast Guard plane had to stay away, but claims he was allowed to take off.
Survivors and Casualties
The two planes collided at the busy Haneda Airport. All 379 passengers and crew on the Japan Airlines passenger plane survived the crash. Five of the six occupants of the Coast Guard aircraft were killed. The captain of that aircraft was seriously injured.
Conflicting Claims
A Coast Guard official said the pilot of the Coast Guard plane believed he was allowed to take off. At the same time, that official admitted that this ‘consent’ is not apparent from the instructions released from the control tower.
Investigation Underway
Japanese authorities have now launched an investigation into the incident. Researchers will talk to the pilots of both aircraft. The black box of the coast guard device has now been recovered. It may contain information that can be used to clarify the cause of the collision.
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