JAL receives aviation safety award after ‘miraculous’ escape of 379 in Haneda crash

Japan Airlines has been selected by an international aviation safety organization to receive an annual award for its commitment to safety, the airline announced Thursday.

It is the first time a Japanese company or group has won the Richard Crane Award since the Flight Safety Foundation in Virginia created the prize.

JAL is recognized for its decades-long contribution to promoting a safety culture, both within and outside the company, through efforts such as the establishment of the Safety Promotion Center following the crash of JAL Flight 123 in August 1985.

JAL was nominated by foundation members in many countries and regions after all 379 passengers and crew escaped from a JAL aircraft after it collided with a Japan Coast Guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in January. The escape was widely hailed as a “miracle.”