‘I thought we would not survive, so I texted my family and friends’
▶ Swift evacuation credited with saving lives after Japan Airlines plane’s runway collision
A calm and steady evacuation, and crews putting training into practice, saved the lives of all 379 passengers on board a Japan Airlines plane after it was engulfed in flames this week.
The airliner collided with a coastguard plane after landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. All but one of six people in the smaller aircraft were killed.
The pilots on the passenger plane did not know about the fire until they were informed by cabin crew, Japan’s national broadcaster NHK said.
Flames erupted from the plane before it came to a halt on the runway on Tuesday, with the fire beginning to spread from underneath the aircraft, footage filmed by passengers showed. The chief flight attendant reported to the cockpit that the plane was burning and that the cabin crew needed permission to open the emergency exits, NHK said.
The cabin was filling up with smoke as the temperature on board increased. Footage taken on board showed babies crying and people begging for the doors to be opened.
“The smell of smoke was in the air and the doors were not opening. So, I think everyone panicked,” a woman said.
Another woman told broadcaster NHK: “Honestly, I thought we wouldn’t survive. So, I texted my family and friends to say that my plane is burning, right now.”
There were eight emergency exits but the evacuation began from two slides at the front of the plane. Only one other exit, at the rear left, was safe from the flames but the intercom system was no longer functioning, preventing the cockpit from giving the go-ahead, the airline said.
The crew in the back realised the passengers needed to disembark from the back door and, following their training, they opened it.
It took 18 minutes to evacuate the entire plane. Some passengers credited the swift evacuation drill with saving their lives.
“I heard an explosion about 10 minutes after everyone got off the plane,” said Tsubasa Sawada, 28. “I can only say it was a miracle. We could have died if we were late.”
Airline officials said the crew followed emergency procedures in textbook fashion, starting with the first rule – panic control. They used megaphones and their voices to give instructions to the passengers.
The crew used short, direct commands, as they are trained to do, such as “leave your luggage” and “not this door”, the officials said.
“I’m sure all of you have the experience of being asked on flights not to take your carry-on items in case of an emergency evacuation,” said Noriyuki Aoki, senior vice president of general affairs at the airline.
“This was followed to the tee, including with the co-operation of the passengers, and we believe that led to the swift evacuation.”
Experts from Japan, France, Britain and Canada are investigating the crash.
Japan’s Transport Ministry released transcripts of the flight controllers’ communications, which showed they approved the flight’s landing.
But the coastguard plane was reportedly instructed to go to a spot near the runway.
At least one pet dog and cat had to be left on the plane and died, the airline said.
I heard an explosion about 10 minutes after everyone got off the plane. We could have died if we were late TSUBASA SAWADA Passenger