In an unfortunate incident at New Chitose Airport on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, two planes made contact on the ground. A Korean Air Lines plane, carrying 289 passengers and crew members, clipped a stationary Cathay Pacific Airways aircraft on Tuesday, according to a Korean Air official.
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The Incident
The Korean Air Airbus A330-300 (registration HL7702) and the Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300 both sustained damage during the ground collision at Sapporo New Chitose Airport. The incident occurred around 5.30pm local time, while the Korean Air plane was preparing for take-off. The Korean flight, numbered KE766, was pushing back from its stand when the left wingtip struck the tail of the stationary Boeing 777, causing damage to both aircraft.
Impact on Flight Operations
As a result of the incident, Cathay Pacific announced that its flight CX583 from Sapporo to Hong Kong would not operate as scheduled. The disruption is likely to affect passengers who were planning to travel on this route.
No Injuries or Fire Reported
Despite the collision, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members on either plane, as per Japanese broadcaster NTV. Furthermore, a spokesperson for the local fire department confirmed that no fire or fuel leaks were detected following the incident. This news comes as a relief, considering the potential risks associated with such incidents. The incident underscores the importance of stringent safety measures and protocols in aviation. Investigations will likely follow to determine the cause of the incident and to implement measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.