Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3) — The Philippine Embassy in Japan on Wednesday said it continues to get information whether there were Filipinos affected after a Japan Airlines plane and a Japanese coast guard aircraft collided on Tuesday.
“They are not able to give out that information because of privacy issues pero (but) we continue to persist. In fact this morning we started calling again in the hopes that we can get information,” Philippine ambassador to Japan Mylene Albano told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
She urged affected Filipinos, if there are any, to contact the Philippine embassy so they can be assisted.
A CNN report said five people, who were crew members of the coast guard aircraft, were killed in the collision at Haneda airport. All 379 passengers of JAL flight 516, meanwhile, were safely evacuated from the passenger plane.
The incident happened as Japan is conducting rescue and relief operations for victims of the magnitude 7.6 quake that struck Ishikawa prefecture on New Year’s day, killing at least 57 people.
Albano said there are around 1,300 Filipinos in the area who were all confirmed safe. There were only a few tourists who contacted the embassy to ask for assistance after train services were disrupted by the quake, she added.
Authorities are currently prioritizing restoring supply of power and water. More security forces have also been deployed to help in rescue efforts, she added.
