In a harrowing incident at Tokyo's Haneda airport, all 379 passengers aboard a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane managed to escape a burning airliner following a collision with a Coast Guard aircraft. Tragically, five out of the six crew members on the smaller aircraft lost their lives in the accident, which unfolded on Tuesday.

Dramatic live footage captured by NHK, a public broadcaster, showed the JAL Airbus A350 engulfed in flames as it skidded down the tarmac at around 6 p.m. local time. Passengers inside the smoke-filled cabin were seen shouting and desperately making their way to safety, running across the tarmac with the help of evacuation slides.

In the midst of the chaos, a child's voice could be heard among the commotion, urgently calling for a quick evacuation. Thanks to the prompt response and efforts of the crew and passengers, all 367 passengers and 12 crew members were successfully evacuated from the blazing airliner.

Although the fire raged for over six hours, it was finally extinguished shortly after midnight, according to reports from TBS, a broadcaster citing the fire department. Japan Airlines confirmed that 14 individuals on the passenger plane sustained injuries. Fortunately, none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed the tragic loss of life, stating that five crew members of the Coast Guard aircraft had died in the collision. He also relayed that the captain of the aircraft, a 39-year-old, managed to escape but sustained injuries.

According to a ministry official who spoke at a press briefing, the JAL plane was attempting a normal landing when it collided with the Coast Guard's Bombardier-built Dash-8 maritime patrol plane on the runway. No reports had indicated any issues with the airliner before the landing, the official added.

It was revealed that the Coast Guard aircraft was en route to Niigata, a city on Japan's west coast, to deliver aid to victims of a powerful earthquake that struck on New Year's Day and claimed the lives of at least 55 individuals.

During a press briefing, a JAL official stated that the airline understood the flight had received permission to land, though investigations into the exchanges with flight control were still ongoing.

Passengers and aviation experts praised the speed and efficiency of the evacuation. One passenger, Tsubasa Sawada, recalled hearing an explosion shortly after disembarking from the plane and expressed immense relief at surviving the ordeal. Paul Hayes, director of air safety at UK-based aviation consultancy Ascend by Cirium, commended the cabin crew's handling of the situation, emphasizing the crucial decision not to retrieve carry-on luggage during the evacuation.

Japan Airlines acknowledged that the in-flight announcement system had failed during the evacuation, necessitating the use of megaphones by crew members to give instructions.

As investigations continue, the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) has launched an inquiry, with representatives from France, where the Airbus A350 was manufactured, and Britain, where its engines were made, joining the investigation. Airbus has also dispatched technical advisers to assist in the process.

Following the accident, Haneda airport was closed for several hours, but three runways have since resumed operations, according to the transport ministry. ANA, JAL's domestic rival, canceled 110 flights to and from Haneda on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his condolences for the Coast Guard crew members who tragically lost their lives and assured the public that efforts were being made to ensure the incident would not disrupt the delivery of earthquake relief supplies.

The cause of the collision remains unclear, and authorities are determined to fully investigate the incident in collaboration with various departments and agencies.