Japan declares ‘serious incident’ after passenger plane lands in Hokkaido with ground crew vehicle still on runway
Serious incident declared after plane lands while crew vehicles still on runway
- An All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight caused a "serious" aviation incident in Japan on Wednesday due to a pilot's communication lapse.
- The aircraft landed at Wakkanai Airport in Hokkaido while a work vehicle was still on the runway, having entered without proper clearance.
- The pilot had altered the plane's course shortly before arrival to avoid thunderclouds but failed to inform air traffic control of this change.
- Japan's transport ministry labelled it a "serious incident", noting it could easily have escalated into an accident.
- No injuries or damage were reported, and investigations are underway to determine why established safety protocols were not followed.