A Japan Airlines jet was engulfed in flames at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Tuesday evening after a possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft, with the airline saying that all 379 passengers and crew had been safely evacuated, reported Reuters.

 

Live footage on public broadcaster NHK showed the aircraft erupt in flames as it skidded down the tarmac despite feverish efforts by rescue crews to control the blaze.

 

The Coast Guard said it was investigating the possibility that one of its aircraft collided with the passenger jet.

 

Five out of the six crew of the coast guard aircraft are unaccounted for, while one escaped, public broadcaster NHK reported.

 

"We are currently assessing the extent of the damage," the airline said, according to an NHK report.

 

The plane, Japan Airlines Flight 516, departed from New Chitose airport at 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT) and was scheduled to land at Haneda at 17:40, reported BBC.

 

The TV footage shows multiple fire trucks at the scene as smoke and flames billow from the plane, it added.