According to Reuters, the Japan Coast Guard said its aircraft was heading to Niigata airport to deliver aid to Monday's earthquake victims. The earthquake killed 48 people.
A passenger on the Japan Airlines flight described the moment of impact to Kyodo news agency: "I felt a boom like we had hit something and jerked upward the moment we landed ... I saw sparks outside the window and the cabin filled with gas and smoke."
A transport ministry official indicated the cause of the fiery crash remains unknown. The JAL commercial plane was landing as normal on the runway when it suddenly collided with the Japan Coast Guard's Bombardier-built Dash-8 maritime patrol plane. There were no reports of engine failure or mechanical problems on the JAL aircraft.
The airbus burst into flames as it hit the tarmac with its belly skidding along the pavement. Miraculously, all 379 passengers and 12 crew were evacuated from the plane using the emergency slides. At least 17 were reportedly injured.
"The cabin crew must have done an excellent job. There don't seem to be any carry-ons. It was a miracle that all the passengers got off," said Paul Hayes, director of air safety at UK-based aviation consultancy Ascend by Cirium.
The Haneda airport closed for several hours after the incident, however 3 runways have reportedly resumed operations since then.
Japan's Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said that the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) as well as police and other officials will continue to investigate the cause of the accident.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that officials will work to ensure the accident will not affect the deliveries of earthquake relief supplies.
He said of the crew members who were killed on the Coast Guard plane: "This is a great regret as the crew members performed their duties with a strong sense of mission and responsibility for the victims of the disaster area."
