Weeks After Midair Crash, Delta, Japan Airlines Planes Collide In US

A Delta Airlines plane and a Japan Airlines aircraft collided on the ground at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on Wednesday morning, triggering an emergency response from airport authorities.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time on a ramp along a taxi lane between S Concourse and the airport’s south maintenance hangars, according to SEA officials.

Collision Details

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), SEA reported that the collision involved a taxiing Japan Airlines aircraft, which appeared to have struck the tail of a parked Delta Airlines plane.

Emergency crews, including the Port of Seattle Fire Department, airport police, and SEA operations teams, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

Despite the impact, all passengers were safely deplaned and transported to the terminal, with no reported injuries.

Official Statement and Passenger Accommodation

SEA provided an update, confirming: “All passengers from [the] incident involving Japan Airlines flight 68 & Delta Air Lines flight 1921 have been deplaned [with] no reported injuries.”

The airport added that the airlines were working to accommodate affected passengers while response crews prepared to move the aircraft off the taxiway.

Travellers were advised to check with their airlines for possible flight disruptions, though SEA noted that the incident had minimal impact on overall airport operations since it occurred on a taxi lane.

Context and Recent Aviation Incidents

The collision at SEA comes exactly one week after a midair crash near Washington, D.C., between a passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which resulted in 67 fatalities.

Authorities are expected to investigate the Seattle incident to determine the cause and any potential safety lapses.