Overview

• A Korean Air plane clipped wings with a Cathay Pacific jet at Japan’s New Chitose Airport amid heavy snow, causing no injuries but leading to flight cancellations.
• The Korean Air jet was carrying 289 passengers and crew, while the Cathay Pacific plane was empty at the time of the collision.
• The incident occurred as the Korean Air plane was being pushed back for takeoff, when the towing vehicle slipped on the snow-covered tarmac.
• This is the second such incident in Japan in two weeks, following a fatal collision at Tokyo’s Haneda airport that resulted in five deaths.
• Airport safety and air traffic control protocols in Japan are under scrutiny following these incidents.