TOKYO: Some flights were delayed at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Saturday after two planes appeared to have collided on the ground near a taxiway, the public broadcaster NHK reported, citing Japan’s transport ministry.
No injuries occurred, NHK and one of the airlines said, but the incident led to the closure of one of four runways at the airport from about 11am local time.
The broadcaster showed jets from Thai Airways International and Eva Air of Taiwan on the ground. Part of the wing of the THAI plane looked to be broken, and what appeared to be fragments could be seen near the runway.
Thai Airways said its Bangkok-bound flight was on a taxiway preparing for takeoff when a winglet — a part at the tip of the plane’s right wing — collided with the rear of an Eva aircraft that was also on a taxiway.
The collision damaged the winglet, meaning it was unable to operate the flight, THAI said. The Airbus A330 aircraft was carrying 250 passengers and 14 crew members.
On Saturday afternoon, THAI posted a message on its Facebook page saying that a number of passengers on the affected flight TG683 had already been transferred to other airlines at their request.
The remaining passengers have been provided with hotel accommodations, and arrangements are under way for their return flights scheduled for Sunday, said the Thai flag carrier.
Eva was not available for comment immediately.
The transport ministry said the two planes may have touched as the THAI plane was passing the Eva Air aircraft. The 3,000-metre Runway A was subsequently closed.
THAI said Japan’s civil aviation authority was investigating the incident.
A passenger on the Eva Air flight told reporters there was an “impact” as the plane was waiting to depart.
“Part of the wing of the nearby Thai Airways plane was chipped,” the passenger said.
But the overall atmosphere inside the aircraft remained calm, despite people aboard being confined for an extended period of time, the passenger added.