Tokyo, Jan 7 (EFE).- Flight cancellations continued at Haneda airport in Tokyo on Sunday, affecting more than 200 domestic flights due to runway closure days after the deadly collision of two planes a few days ago.
The air traffic disruptions are expected to continue until Monday, while the authorities investigate the causes of the accident that occurred on Tuesday.
The suspension of domestic flights affects more than 32,000 passengers of Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Starflyer and Solaseed Air.
Thousands of flights from the airport have been suspended since the accident on Tuesday, including over 200 flights on Saturday.
Flight interruptions are expected to continue until the crashed planes are cleared from the runway and safety checks are carried out.
On Thursday, JAL estimated a loss of around 15 billion yen (over $1 billion) due to the accident.
The accident on Tuesday evening occurred shortly after the JAL flight landed at Haneda airport and collided with a Coast Guard plane, causing both aircraft to catch fire.
The Japanese Ministry of Transportation has said the Coast Guard plane did not have permission to enter the runway.
The 379 passengers and crew onboard the commercial aircraft were successfully evacuated from the burning plane, although 14 of them were injured.
Of the six on the Coast Guard plane, only the captain, who was seriously injured, managed to survive.
The Coast Guard plane was en route to deliver relief aid for those affected by the strong earthquake that killed over 120 people and left hundreds missing on the western coast of central Japan on Monday. EFE
ahg/sc
