I'm way too obsessed with this series. I check for an ep everyday. However, these eps make me appreciate life, delays, maintenance and flying crews even more than I did. In so little time your life can end or be changed forever.
I think a new "Mayday" episode is posted every Thursday, no need to check every day! :-P Also, I agree with your outlook. After watching these disasters, I have so much more appreciation for everyone in the airline industry!
I think more people could survive if they found them after the crash quickly they shouldn't have waited 14+ hours. I feel bad for those people who died waiting for rescue.
The pilots did not kill 520 people that day, they saved 4. Incredible props to them for keeping the aircraft airborne for so long in such conditions, complete heroes👏👏
Yes, it’s so awful that their efforts where put to waste in the rescue operation. But 4 people managed to continue walking the earth because of them :)
let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place. 520 people were killed by an American company.
The area was obviously too dangerous and dark for help to ascend quickly. I was surprised too. But there had to have been a solid reason to delay rescue. It honestly appeared as if there were no survivors, firstly. Secondly, you Couldn’t even detect plane parts in the wreckage. It was an inferno! It had just taken off. All fulla fuel. Hit the side of the mountain with 100 G’s of force. Yeah, I wouldn’t risk sending live people, in the dark forests, inhaling burning fuel to a crash site that looked unsurvivable. Then what? Hoist, in the dark, wounded people down the side of the mountain? In what? Homemade gurneys? No place to land a helicopter. Yeah, they could have gone and offered immediate medical help minus leaving the scene. But it was a death zone! Hence rescue being called off until safe and practical, for ALL involved.
And yet in reality the crash site was not a death zone since many people were alive and could of survived of rescuers just had some basic medical assistance. In reality it would of been worth going to the crash site at night if just to save a single life!!!!!!!
@@hoosierbaddy3052 While I do agree the rescue crew were unprepared for such an event like this, I however don't agree it was even close to impossible as you could bring helicopters equipped with floodlights, or just bring floodlights and basket pulleys with well clothed crew, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it could have taken 2-4 hours to extract A few dozen survivors yet anything is better than waiting till the next day for sure.
The souls: HEY God The god: what The souls: You never made a miracle where they don't come.for 1 mins and the 16 people should be the 3 of us f*** u The god: OK OK just be born again and I will make a miracle where u can go back to airport The souls: ok
Thats why some have a fear of flying. They know statistically its safer than driving. It's that going down in a plane from 30,000 feet is more terrifying than any deadly car accident.
I don't think they fought the plane exactly, they fought physics. The plane was damaged through no fault of its own, the fact it remained airborne at all is testament to the modern miracle of engineering. The pilots struggled to keep their crippled plane in the air, battling hypoxia and fear, fighting against gravity, and they did a truly remarkable job, but in the end physics always wins.
After this crash, a man named Denny Fitch actually studied this crash, and he also practiced controlling an aircraft with only its throttles in a flight simulator. Then, 4 years after Japan Airlines flight 123, he just so happened to have been on the DC-10 of United Airlines flight 232 when it's number 2 tail engine failed, and just like Japan Airlines 123, United Airlines 232 also lost all of it's hydraulics, and entered into a phugoid cycle. Fitch managed to ask a flight attendant to let him into the cockpit and help the pilots of that flight get to Sioux City airport. They were close, but at the last moment, the right wing dropped, and the airplane crash landed at the airport killing 112 people (initially it was 111), but 184 others, including Fitch and the cockpit crew, survived the crash, and ultimately became heroes.
I heard about this, I literally can’t imagine was Fitch was thinking. Like imagine practicing the most nightmare situation in a simulation thinking like never in a million years would I ever be in this situation, hopefully. And then being put into that exact situation knowing exactly what the risks are. To be that aware would be terrifying.
This is so sad. I feel so bad for all of the people who initially survived, but died in the cold night air. Curse these idiots that run the rescue teams. 14 hours after the crash is unacceptable.
they should of came 30 minutes later. I agree with you. If I were a rescurer, I would go inmediately after dissipearing from radar and be the first to rescue them.
Did the video not indicate that the US Marines were in position to repel down the mountain but were called back for some reason? WTF? They would have found survivors and then supplies/blankets could have been airdropped to them so they could have had a much higher survival rate even if it took a few hours to build helipads for medical evac. I absolutely do not get it.
During a flying programme in my school, using our computer, our instructor gave us examples of plane disasters in the past, and JAL 123 was one of them, and we all tried landing the plane without the tail, none of us made it past 10 min, so we’re all amazed at how the pilots made it through over 30 minutes
When you're in a life or death situation your will power can do the impossible Unfortunately their heroic efforts where they probably did save some lives were in vein, because the "rescuers" pretty much gave them all a death sentence , I'm shocked that 4 people survived
It’s absolutely heartbreaking that there were marines ready to repel down and help those people so soon after the crash and instead they were told to return to base. Who knows how many more people could have survived had they been allowed to help.
Well considering 4 people were alive, there were probably more, but Japan was too proud to ask for help even with a huge US Naval base nearby that was equipped for exactly that sort of operation... @@AnakKosan12
May all that lost their lives RIP it rips your heart apart , these poor people how they suffered while the plane went down , I can’t imagine , the fear , the children on board , you listen to the real error of why this plane went down breaks the heart.🕯
"Since the rescuers don't expect to find any survivors, they spend the night in a village." They never should have made that assumption - those poor surviving victims had to suffer through the night.
I thought the exact same thing. Never make assumptions until you're there. No matter what the helicopter saw or reported.I mean really...the helicopter said there was too much smoke to see not to mention the natural foliage and people that may have still been trapped in the wreckage.
Well when a plane or anything really is in a nose dive/plummeting to the ground, the smart thing to do is increase the flow of air beneath the surface due to aerodynamics. If you make a paper plane and launch it in the air for example, how does it stay airborne with no engines at all? I'll let you answer that😉
@@shyryTsr2k after the accident, plane companies all over the world use the data from the black box to construct simulation training. No one last more than 10 minute.
@@shyryTsr2k Idiot. It´s a jumbo jet. It´s far too heavy to glide enough to not violently crash nevermind fly. Dozens of experienced pilots have done this flight int he simulator. None of them even managed to keep it in the sky for as long as these pilots did. It was determined that it was entirely impossible to save this plane even if they had immediately reacted perfectly.
I’ll bet the simulator pilots couldn’t fly it as long as the JAL pilots did. They didn’t say. They routinely reenact accidents thru simulation. The Hudson River landing could have only been done by Sully and his crew. Every simulator failed.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 *Wrong !! They did say 8 or more pilots tried the same scenario as JAL123 and all pilots failed. Only 1 pilot and his first officer, they could only keep the airplane in the air for 11 minutes so the 2 pilots of JAL123 did an amazing job to keep the Boeing 747 airborne for over half an hour with that broken tail. They tried their hardest and fought right until the very end even though they knew the situation was hopeless and they were going to die. I still think the pilots and engineer should have used their oxygen masks because I do believe they were dealing with early stages of hypoxia as well.*
I have a feeling some pride was behind the decision. Somebody on high up didn't want Americans to do their job. If they had let their pride slide, more people would have been saved. That's my theory at least.
@@RemnantCult It's not just pride, but also incompetence and negligence. The scars from 1945 were still recent, so one could maybe make a valid argument to defend their decision in neglecting the Americans' help. Especially if they were quick enough to try to save their own people themselves. But the fact they not only refused outside help, but also considered that there were no survivors is just beyond absurd and there's nothing in this world that could justify that decision whatsoever.
From the ground, Gunma, Nagano, and Saitama prefectural police searched the crash site. From the air, the U.S. military and Air Self-Defense Force were checking for flames in the mountains, but the area around the crash site was a virgin forest that had been closed to the public for falconry in the Edo period (1603-1868), except for the Karamatsu pine trees planted by the Forestry Bureau in 1963. In addition to this, the radar and TACAN positioning errors, and the fact that it was a dark night with a moon age of 25.1 on the day of the accident, made it extremely difficult to locate the crash site by ground search. In addition, satellite positioning systems such as GPS had not yet been put into practical use at the time, making it difficult to accurately measure the location of the crash site. At 20:21, a patrol car from the Usuda Police Station of the Nagano Prefectural Police (now the Minami-Saku Office of the Saku Police Station) reported that they could see black smoke around the border between Saitama and Gunma Prefectures, and at 21:39, patrol cars from both Saitama and Nagano Prefectural Police found red smoke to the west-northwest of the Mikuni Pass, leading the Nagano Prefectural Police to announce that the crash site was in the mountains on the Gunma Prefecture side at midnight on January 12. However, in addition to the 110 call from an unidentified caller, "The plane crashed near Grape Pass in Kitaaigi Village, Nagano Prefecture," and the "north slope of Mt. As mentioned above, GPS and other technologies had not yet been put into practical use, and the search on the ground was confusing due to the multiple location information. As a result, ground searches by firefighters, police, Air Self-Defense Force ground search teams dispatched in response to a disaster relief request, and various Ground Self-Defense Force search teams took so long that they could not reach the site until 9:00 the next morning, 11 hours and 30 minutes after the 21:30 dispatch request to the Ground SDF in Gunma and Nagano. The commentary points out that the accuracy of TACAN positioning varies depending on the crew's knowledge of the land and other factors, and shows the positioning results for each aircraft from the night of the 12th to the morning of the 13th in a table and map. At 19:54, the rescue team of the Air Self-Defense Force's Momosato Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture launched an MU-2S rescue and search aircraft and a KV-107 helicopter without a disaster dispatch request; the KV-107 helicopter arrived over the accident site at 20:42. One of the former JSDF medics who was involved in the rescue operation with the KV-107 rescue helicopter belonging to the Hyakuri Rescue Team of the Air Self-Defense Force, which conducted search and rescue operations over the accident site immediately after the accident, wrote in his memoirs. The rescue team took turns dispatching two helicopters to the scene for rescue operations, and at approximately 21:05, the second dispatch team arrived at the scene and began a high-altitude reconnaissance to find a place to drop the crew. At around 10:20 p.m., they descended to a medium altitude and searched again for a descent point, but were unable to find one due to power lines. At around 23:00, the command center instructed the rescue team to guide dozens of fire trucks stuck on the ground to the site, but they failed to do so because they could not establish radio communication with the fire trucks. The rescue team gave the following reasons for their inability to rescue the victims over the site. While continuing the reconnaissance flight, there was a heated discussion among the onboard crew about the viability of other rescue methods. The main topics included parachute forest descent for rescuers, high-altitude rappelling descent with a rescue rope tied to a hoist cable, approach with visibility secured by the light of a flare used for offshore rescue, and forced landing in a nearby village square, etc. Parachutes of the time had poor umbrella control performance, and the air currents made it difficult to land in the midst of a huge flame. However, the parachutes of the time had poor umbrella maneuverability, and air currents could cause the aircraft to land in the middle of a huge flame. In addition, the risk of secondary disasters was too great for a forced landing because the obstacles had not been identified, and it was concluded that none of these options were feasible.
@@boathousejoed9005They didn't know they were bleeding pressure, and oxygen masks only last for a few minutes- the intent being to have enough o2 to get down to a safe altitude, which they weren't able to do.
If they had lost their 'tail' it would have ended immediately: They lost part of the vertical STABILIZER. But with no hydraulics to operate control surfaces, they did the best they could.
@@gojira4036 Yeah, many more could have been saved if they'd gotten their rears in gear and got there in a timely manner. I remember reading about this horrible crash in the paper and saw it on the news. Very sad. RIP to all who perished. Kyu Sakamoto, a singer, also died in this crash. He had a hit song here in the US---"Sukiyaki" in 1965. I have a copy of that record. (Jan Griffiths).
@@Anonymous-pm7jf Yup, same story with that Korea Sewol ferry tragedy. The US Navy was there equip with far more advance maritime equipment with experience rescue team and they were told to leave. Meanwhile the inexperience Korean Coast Guard just stood there far away from the ship because they don't know what to do. Private boats started to step in to help. US Navy left the scene and some months later the Korean Coast Guard was disbanded by their president.
@@aliceandcat2228 same happened when Russia lost one of their nuclear submarines. There were survivors still trapped inside and the U.S. knew it happened and offered to help but the Russians denied them. Crazy.
if only jp could cast aside whatever was holding them back from getting help by the US :( Rescue was literally right above the crash site with multiple survivers still alive, but had to go back because of orders
@@victordodai6311 Part of that is because, at the time, there was still a rather large segment of the political elite that hated the US being in their country. That has since changed, of course, given that when the Tsunami occurred a few years ago the US helped out. And despite it not being mentioned much, this crash is part of what caused that ruling elite to come under a lot of flak for interfering in rescue operations and eventually lead to the US military base being given more autonomy to help out in rescue operations. Of course, this crash also lead to protests in regards to Japanese rescue services and putting aside "most" of their rivalries (I say most, because some of that still exists)
@@Suisfonia the fact that they prioritized their hatred towards a country than their own people is gruesome... Imagine what the few survivors were thinking ''Oh god, im alive, its a miracle!'' Just to die minutes or hours later because rescue from another country was rejected... I'm glad the protests worked and that JP has changed since then though :)
In 1987, the flight crew of JAL 123 were awarded the Polaris Air Award. This is the world's highest and rarest civil aviation award. It is awarded to flight crews who have exhibited outstanding flying abilities under the most dire of circumstances. They were the only crew in the world to be honored with that award in all of 1987. R.I.P. TO ALL THOSE WHO PERISHED.
@@Blackoutviperthere's tons of last message written on napkins scattered around crash site. With pretty bad writing Definitely not written during flying nor by ghost
The fact that there could’ve been more that 4 survivors makes me shiver, imagine you surviving the crash only to slowly wait for your death, hopeless that help will come for them…
Wow nearly word by word the same I just commented. I just only added the morbid assumption that even you are normally one of the luckiest person in the world, to survive such a horrific crash and that you must be feel unbelievable sensations slowly (or quick, I can’t put myself into this experience) recognising you survived a plane crash, you maybe would be blessed if you are one of the people died immediately without further suffering. The survivors died 2 times. Reminds me to the unbelievable gruesome tactic in nazi concentration camps to strangulate people near their death. Normally they were dead. But they made first aid and rescue works on these poor people to take them back into life just for killing them again. Not imaginable what a body and brain experience in this feverdream like torture.
@@TheApp9 I... never heard of the Nazis doing that, oh I heard of them doing HORRENDOUS things, but not that. That's, well you took the words out of my mouth.
I'm Japanese. The note says : Darling. It's pity it turns in this way. Please take care of children. It's six thirty. The plane is something something. (can't read. Sorry ) and descending. I'm grateful that it's been happy life so far.
oh cool! we got a translation! thank you, now I might have more knowledge on the Japanese language. I always wanted to learn the Japanese language myself, any tips you might have Q?
@@Q3x3Q3x3 same with me, I always had an interest in Japanese culture myself as well. I always had an interest in other cultures and mythologies and languages
So planes really are the safest form of travel,but when there's an emergency, your in for one of the most horror situation anyone could EVER experience 😬😔🙏
I can imagine what the passengers went through. The terror they must have felt. I was heart broken when the older couple just looked at eachother and accepted their fate. Also the fact that the pilots were able to keep the stricken plan in the air
@@berits.2346 There would have been passengers that would have knew it was the end for them. So they did what they could to prepare for their death. The elderly couple was a symbol of their death becuase they be together for many decades.
seriously, these emotions... think clearly lol in the dark with all those fires, trees, middle of nowhere you can land max 8 people with some basic equipment, they could only help the easiest accessible people
the US air base was like less than 100km away.. they are even the one who reported the sighting of the burning crash site..that is why within less than 30 mins there helicopter already approach the crash site.. if only they let the US get involved in the rescue
@@ohh2752 They already get plenty of sleep, coffee, and they’re not even in war, they’re only search and rescue. So they get shifts, so your incorrect.
I feel so sad for the families on board and I cannot even imagine how Kyu Sakamoto's wife must have felt after losing her husband. The faulty repair was infuriating, not just that they delayed rescue.
What's even tragic was that his body was completely destroyed due to the crash. Only a couple of pieces of bone was left of him and DNA test was used to identify him.
@@msmo2060 could be their youngest kid, could've been born in the 90s...just bc 2 ppl meet once doesn't mean they immediately have kids, usually that takes a while, most especially if they're both forensic investigators (aka meaning having a bit more income than the average joe)
The story narrated by the survivor, the off duty flight attendant, really hurt my heart. Especially when she mentioned the helicopter went away and she no longer heard the boy and his mother calling out to each other. The crash itself wasn't as heart shattering as much as the complete negligence of the rescuers in the aftermath of the crash.
Yes I agree with you, that when she stopped hearing the voices crying out, that moment was the hardest to take, because more could have been saved. People suck.
People can survive the moment after a crash, and then many slowly will die. Just because you make the first minute does not mean you'll go much longer.
@@chrismount8793 Well, I hope you will think the same when you or somebody loved by you will be in a life or death situation. What a heartless comment.
let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place. 520 people were killed by an American company.
I do not understand why many of the comments here not focusing on improper repair, which is the main cause of this plane crash. You may blame the rescue team for delayed rescue operation. But, remember, If the plane had been repaired properly, this crash could have been prevented, and this plane would have landed at Osaka, and majority of passengers and crews onboard this plane may still be alive as of today.
I think most people focus on the human aspects of the disaster: passengers, pilots, rescuers, and family. I wonder if it's possible to have a redundant (electrical) system to power the control surfaces of the plane when hydraulic pressure is gone. There was a backup electrical system to lower the landing gear. Why not a backup electrical system to power the ailerons, tail flaps, and rudder? Even with the tail's rudder blown off, I think the plane could have been controlled much better if the pilots had control of the ailerons and tail flaps. Or is it possible to have separate hydraulic systems for the different control surfaces, so that if one hydraulic system (for the tail rudder) gets ruptured and loses pressure, it won't cause the plane's entire hydraulic system to lose all pressure?
@@jonstone9741 For Japan Airlines flight 123 accident, the plane was delivered in 197x. The technologies at that time were very limited. But, today's technologies are different. Many newer passenger planes use fly-by-wire system for controls. Multiple computers assist in controlling the aircraft. There are redundancies. If any of the computers or systems fail, the other computers or systems can still be used to control the aircraft.
@@cshong87 Thanks for the info. One other bit of info I got from the video was that the only survivors were seated in the rear of the plane. Seems like it might be a good idea to request a seat in the rear.
@@jonstone9741 That all depends on how the plane crashes. If it goes down tail first, the rear seats will get the worst. So it's really all up to luck...that you don't get in a crash and that if you do you are in the best seat to survive.
I think the rescue crew coming late was the most shocking part of the video because the point of the rescue team is to rescue as soon as possible and they made a deliberate decision to delay the rescue. The improper repair was not deliberate. It was a human error, an oversight, that could happen to anyone at any moment in time. That does not excuse them for doing it incorrectly. But I still found it shocking that the rescue team made such a stupid and presumptuous decision.
I've only had one in-flight emergency during my time as a private pilot. I lost all electronics in flight while flying in Spain. It didn't cause any issues with flying the plane, though. It only caused me to lose all communication with the tower. I only had to hope that the tower would understand I had no way to communicate as I entered the pattern, and act accordingly. My landing was uneventful, and I had no issues with other air traffic. That experience was nothing compared to this. My heart breaks for all those lost. I hope that after all these years, the few survivors have been able to move on and heal up both physically and emotionally.
@@GeeLove- To this day, I do not know. The aircraft was still in the maintenance shop four months later when I left the country. I was in Spain at the time.
@@ranirathi3379 They had other pilots fly in a simulator with the same problem and they all crashed. The only difference was that they crashed after about 10 mins. These pilots flew about 30 mins. I definitely consider them heroes
@@GianlucaBerger Yep, especially since they managed to still have survivors after the crash. Not their fault the rescue for the those that lived was so delayed. These guys not only kept the plane up for an unimaginable amount of time but people survived such a disaster.
I've experienced hypoxia in a controlled environment and you don't really notice anything wrong. Also, the more chaos, the more apparent it is that there is something wrong with you for everyone around you, but you yourself won't notice anything abnormal. The very last thing I was asked to do, 3 minutes into the experience, was to put both my arms up, then to my chest and then touch my nose with 1 hand. Apparently, it took me 21 seconds to do all that and they had to ask me to put my arms up 3x, my arms to the chest 3x and one of my hands on my nose 6x, to which I only responded after visual queues (basically the monkey see, monkey do method where they put their hands on their nose and you copy whatever you see them doing). I do not remember being asked to do any of it nor do I remember doing it myself. After 5 minutes of flying that airplane in a low oxygen environment, I do not find it strange at all that they were unresponsive to most things by that point. If anything, I'm surprised the flying engineer in the 3rd seat of the cockpit was still clear headed enough by that point to even suggest putting on oxygen masks.
Imagine surviving that crash, hearing a helicopter come by, but laying there for 14 more hours in a burning mess. I bet if the US military had been allowed to land they would have found more survivors.
Fionnah Saunders. I agree with the previous commentators, the Japanese Defense and emergency services appalling response , is unbelievable. 14 hours later and only a 100 or so miles from Tokyo. That calls for a thorough investigation in itself.
What a shame on this leadership. I'm Japanese and I'm disgusted at their decisions. There were more survivors had Japanese Rescue went straight there and NOT camp up for the night. And why deny the American help!?!? I don't understand this ego and pride. Which is all I could think of as the reason they refused their help.
@Sunshine Ng easy there. Admiral Yamamoto only attacked because he believed he had no other choice. I don’t think the attack was done in hatred. It was war, and we had cut off their oil. At the very least, Japan doesn’t resent the U.S. because of their own attack on Pearl Harbor. If anything, it’s probably because after their surrender they were forbidden from having their own military and we (America) occupied the country. This would be a disgrace to anybody, and with honor being very important in their culture this could lead to a lot of embarrassment.
Back in 1985 I was a freshman in high school and I remember this. The pilots did the best they could. Those poor souls. It's miraculous that anyone survivors. Condolences to the families even though it has been almost 38 years.
Those pilots were BADASSES. Not knowing the issue, they fought for 30 minutes, improvising, and then doing it again and again every time the plane rose or dipped. That's being real in the moment.
I've always thought that all airliners should be fitted with cctv cameras in and out of the aircraft giving pilots real time view of specific parts that may be damaged or malfunctioning, like in this case was the tail section that was blown away by the explosive escape of pressurized cabin air...
Those pilots might not have been on a bonafide battlefield, but they are warriors regardless. Fought to the bitter end. RIP to those badasses and the innocent people who lost their lives that day :(
Denny Fitch, a DC-10 instructor for United Airlines, studied JAL Flight 123 extensively and practiced maneuvers using only engine throttles in the simulator. It was Fitch's knowledge and experience of this accident that allowed him and the crew of United Flight 232 to steer their crippled DC-10 using only throttles to a crash landing at Sioux City Airport after they lost hydraulics. The captain of Flight 232, Al Haynes, later gave seminars on CRM and controlling without hydraulics to pilots all around the world. One of the pilots who attended Haynes' seminar was Eric Gennotte, who less than a year after that seminar, was the captain of the DHL A300 flying out of Baghdad that was struck by a SAM and lost all of its hydraulics. Gennotte and his crew, using only throttles, landed their plane safely back at Baghdad.
fun fact about that dc10 after that happened the us airforce made a AI (ish) program that could help fly a plan with no hydraulics but it was never put out cus it wasn't believed to be needed more
Eastern airline flight 935 which is a lockheed l1011 also suffered a hydraulic losses from an engine failure. Thankfully, the l1011 had 4 hydraulics line compare to dc 10 with 3. Only 1 was intact and the jet landed safely.
Mayday: Air Disaster is the best done documentary series I've ever watched. It's been my favorite for over a decade. It's so well re-enacted, you feel like you're on the plane as it's going down or in the cockpit trying to save everybody. Can watch a marathon of this and get on an int'l flight the next day with no fear. These investigations and the changes that come from them are why air travel is so safe these days. But the stories are heart-wrenching and I've cried through many episodes.
"These investigations and the changes that come from them are why air travel is so safe these days." - you are absolutely right. the only silver lining from these terrible disasters is that they forced humanity to learn from these mistakes, and to institutionalise tighter rules and regulations to make travel safer in the world we live in today
I remember my mother telling me about this when I was 15. It was an incredible tragedy in our country, and to happen on the Obon Festival. I can't even imagine how the families of the dead felt.
The letter that was desperately written while the plane was shaking around gives me more chills than any other spooky writing I've ever seen in horror movies.
@Rhonda Ro Leaving these notes in their pockets and wherever they prayed these notes would be found, HOPEFULLY !! TOO SAD beyond belief !! GOD BLESS THEM THEIR SOULS !!!
The man writing a note is the exact example of cherish every moment together with your loved ones cause that might be the last time you see your loved ones
Thankfully there’s (less) traffic in the sky than on roads, and there are only ‘metaphorical’ roads in the sky that are only in place for the sake of organization and safety, so you can go off course and such without putting nearly as much risk to the plane as it would to a car… but gosh, I can’t even imagine- I’m training to become a private pilot simply because it’s something that i truly love despite already having a professional career as an animator planned, and this is one of the crash stories that eats away at my entire *soul*…
smh it always does. we think it is only about us. the people who did the incorrect repair too would have been thinking of how they could save 25% repair costs for themselves. in the end innocents died bcz of it.
@@BarbaraJoanneBJ I think it was good that they had time to get right with God though. When I first found out about it ,it really hurt me thinking about how awful it must have been for him and everyone! I didn't hear them praying though! That bothers me because he had mentioned a shrine before. A lot of them made shrines and that is like idols! I just pray that Kyu was saved and made it to Heaven ! He had such a sweet smile and he was so kind acting.Kyu had such a beautiful voice! God Bless all of them and their survivors! Thank you God that you gave the world such a loving and talented man with such a beautiful voice!
This is one of the most intense and saddest episodes of this series that I have ever seen. May the victims of Japan Airlines flight 123 rest in peace, and may the few survivors find peace.
Can you imagine the terror, hearing the voices of panicked and injured survivors, and over the course of 14 hours the voices slowly dissipating into the night as people succumb to their injuries. Props to the pilots for doing everything they could muster to keep the slightest amount of control over the plane
@@chrisjoe3629 With every mistake comes generations of improved aircraft and technology that will prevent the repetition of past disasters as well as preventing unknown disasters. While this bad apple doesn’t look good on Boeing, I know they take every single opportunity to learn and improve.
@@Toolazytothinkofagoodhandle Learn and Improve?...that era ended in 80s..Boeing lied to regulators about changes to a critical flight-control system on the 737 Max to reduce the cost of pilot training and save the company tens of millions of dollars,,,Even after fcrashes they kept blaming the Pilot: All this for falling way behind competition with Airbus Neo engines and to keep the wall street happy
@@Toolazytothinkofagoodhandle You are correct, this concept applies to everything, from toilets to buildings, cars to planes, phones to computers, chairs to lights, trams to trains, helis to tanks, it is only when the problem present itself that you know you need an alternative in the future, whats impressive to me is that humans are capable of figuring out new alternatives rather quickly after the fact, like it always been there or something!
The person who called off assistance from the American military deserves to be in jail. So many more people could’ve been saved. What an absolute shame
@@kkarx True but it could have led to Japan government kicking Americans out. Japanese public don't like American military bases in their country but the government has been ignoring it So Americans pissing of the Japanese government is a no no
@@sorryi6685 Youre so wrong; the Japanese cannot kick the US military out, the conditions of their surrender to the US during WW2 was 1. permanent US military bases 2. that Japan should have no major military of their own except for a small national defense force(A National Guard) 3. that Japan become a Vassal of the US under its protection
this one makes me MAD. I know that protocols have changed, but the fact that they waited ‘till daylight was a huge factor for people’s survival. Who knows how many could have survived if they had been rescued that night. Come on Japan
Same, this one really is upsetting when you think how many of those she heard could have survived if only the Americans were allowed to help or the Japanese to get down there right after the crash. Just unexcusable!
For a country that prides itself on its peoples courtesy, hospitality, cleanliness and responsiveness to it's citizens needs, Japan has sadly dropped the rice bowl in this case. Very sad but yet they don't like ghosts, so why make so many of them??
@@Phlowermom hospitality to outsiders isn’t a particular value. Quite the opposite. Individuals are very nice, there’s no particular hate, but an insider outsider mentality is strong.
I hope they were held responsible for the deaths of people waiting, struggling to survive. Not sure about right to sue in Japan, but this delay is counter to everything I thought I knew about their culture
I've watched this episode at least 5 times over the years. Each time I watch it, it's just as chilling as the the last time I saw it. It's especially gut-wrenching hearing about how the passengers that were still alive after the crash perished overnight due to the delayed rescue. That horrific part makes me so mad and very, very sad and same time.
You know what I’ve noticed after binge watching these for a few days...bad maintenance practices and cost cutting decisions bring down more planes than anything else.
@@King_of_Africa because the chances of this happening is rare. Dont fool yourself into thinking it's common. It's like when baseball players trot to first base after hitting a ball right to a SS glove
@@tek1645 They are being safe. You yokels are reacting like airliners crash at the same numbers they used to. Reminds me of zoomers who narcissistically believe they have the worst time in economic and crime in history, and their exceptionally prejudiced beliefs about elders is even close to being earned.
@@Rafaelent2013 the main culprit is the broken tail fin. Without that, no plane can actually be controlled, try making a paper airplane but crumble the tail end and see how well it flies. This is what my father, a retired airforce pilot now civil aviation pilot said, my boyfriend, an airplane engineer agreed.
They’re probably one of the greatest pilots to ever grace the aviation industry, I saw so many pilots mention that no matter how many times they tried the simulation of the crash and none lasted as long as them in the air, not to mention they were suffering from hypoxia. I hope wherever they’re right now, they’re resting in peace
The fact the crew kept this crippled plane airborne for 32 minutes is incredible. No other sim crew was able to hold onto the plane for that long when they ran the sims after the crash.
I’m disgusted by the response to the event. Honestly a disgrace to the families that they didn’t allow rescuers to come in IMMEDIATELY after because they were Americans
This is the one thing that bothers me the most. many more lives would have been saved if they had just allowed the americans to help. that was insanely selfish of the Japanese leadership. They should have said: whatever you can do to help, PLEASE DO IT ASAP, and thank you in advance.
@@greendesert69 Pride cometh before a fall. Unfortunately It cost the lives of hundreds. I remember this flight vividly, as I had just moved back to the US from Japan two months before. My father had been stationed at Yokota eight years prior and had retired while there in 1981. It takes a lot for an Air Force brat to swear off ever flying again, but it scared me that badly.
The pilots on this aircraft were heroes. Did everything in their power to try and save a literally uncontrollable jet. Nobody on that flight deserved the death they got, especially the ones who literally bled to death in the night following. R.I.P.
@@paaaatrika Ditching is too far worse than crashing into the mountain , the probability of surviving a ditching with that rapid uncontrolled descent is very rare. The very sad thing is the rescue delay.
@@amanifakhry4107 I really hope the asshats who said there was no one alive and it was hopeless had guilt eat them alive once they found the 4 survivors and heard their testimonies of other being alive.
It's so annoying to understand why no one went down to the wreckage straight away and tried to find survivors. So many more people could've made it if that had happened. Just ridiculous.
This crash also claimed the life of the famous Japanese singer, Kyu Sakamoto. He was the only Japanese singer to have a #1 hit in the United States with "Sukiyaki" in 1963.
I would tell all my sincere congratulations to the pilots to keep the plane as balanced as possible, even they could avoid their Boeing crashing !!!my Brother&and m'y father are pilots : i'm sure they would keep cool in that freaky flying conditions
What isn't mentioned here. For the first 10 years after the crash, many victim's families believed that the pilot was at fault. The voice recorder was not released to the public until 2000, and the JTSB only released a transcript of the recorder prior to it.. A part where he says ドーーンと行こうや could be taken as "let's go through a explosion." But when hearing it, you can see he says it as "let's go with it." Because of it Captain Takahama's family was harassed for many years.
I can imagine their families must have felt so much shame as the Japanese have their honor codes etc…I can see you’re Japanese, so I’m hopeful I didn’t offend with my comment. I learned through history (not TV), a book here and there.
I cannot believe a mother and her child survived this together, I am absolutely shocked to my core. As a mother myself, I couldn’t even try to imagine the absolute horror of knowing you’re about to crash in an airplane with your child right beside you, I wonder what all was said between loved ones on the plane in their final moments…it’s beyond tragic, I just cannot believe anyone survived this, let alone a mother and her 8 year old child! If that isn’t a miracle then idk what is!
This is so sad that there were so many willing to help and help for some came too late. To have to live in fear through that nightmare to end up not going quickly, but have to wait so long for help to arrive for some and then no help came. Who ever decline the U.S. to aid has no heart.
US Marines: We are now hovering over the crash site ready to help! Japan: No! We'll take care of it in the morning. And all because some bloated Japanese politician had to much pride and ego, the poor suffering survivors heard their hopes of rescue fly away as they slowly died from their injuries and exposure to the cold. Shame to those who turn away help because of pride.
@@reshmashriyan5042 I agree! But unless we could have somehow flown up to the back of the airplane and stabled the tail then all we could’ve done was watched it crash unfortunately 😢
Tbh, I'm not sure I would've obeyed that command to leave the scene when there was so much suffering below. Court martial be damned. Imagine the nightmares the Marines had not knowing how many they could've saved.
Miraculously, they found four survivors: 12-year-old Keiko Kawakami, who as a result of the experience has since become a nurse; off-duty flight attendant Yumi Ochiai, who was in her early 20s; and a mother and daughter, Hiroko Yoshizaki, 34, and Mikiko, 8. All four were seated in the back of the plane, which was less damaged from the impact of the crash.
The back of the plane might be the safest but airlines place their cheapest seats there because in the event of air turbulence it is the most uncomfortable part of the plane.
@@theodoreteo1408 yes that's true.. i was almost always choosing to sit there not knowing that information because i was scared of flying and wanted to be as close as i could to the cabin crew for comfort hearing them and seeing them smile made me feel a little bit better.. but the turbulence felt pretty strongly there and was scarry for me still better chances to survive there than in the front of the plane or in the middle..
@Brandon C. perhaps recovery is possible for the physical aspect, with due medical help and physiotherapy, etc. The real damage would be the mental trauma caused. Despite potential psychological assistance and therapy, at the end of the day, only you have true control over your mind. And after going through such a tumultuous experience of being in a aircraft that is randomly pitching up and diving down, with no idea of what exactly is happening, then crashing into a mountain, laying there for hours in agony while hoping for rescue, the events racing in their minds while the night passes, I'd be absolutely amazed if the survivors got onto an aircraft ever again.
I spent my undergrad years in Japan, and all I can say is that thats typical Japanese behavior. Anything to save face, even refusing help when available. The pilots were the true heroes that tried their best to keep the 747 in the air for so long. The rigidity of the honor culture really needs to change if not more people will suffer.
honor culture isn't that bad, but this isn't "honor" but "PRIDE" they care more about "image", "self-interest" and to show "superiority" than to "highly respect" and "value" human lives.
I'm a Malaysian Chinese and a lot of Asians are like that, I can confirm. It can be seen mostly ppl older probably born in the 70s or 80s, not much in the younger generations. They put their pride first over everything and that sometimes can be deadly.
@@subodhpokhrel9182 Yes, I’m Nepalese. By said “behavior” I refer the the shame culture that is practiced in Japan. Basically, many people refuse help when needed or seek help from outside because they believe it causes dishonor.
The rescue team arrived 14hrs later. That's crazy. I was expecting the ATC would alert local rescue teams and emergency services following the plane's flight path as it was about to crash any minute so the closest rescue team would be able to reach the plane fast. But they were like "nothing we can do but wait for it to crash and then alert the national rescue service to come pick up the bodies a day later". Such bad organization of the Japanese.
Had it happened in the states it would have definitely been handled differently. Just one more thing the left, liberals wouldn't even think about. We have it so great in this country. Yet, they think it's the worst country inn the world. With Communism, human life has no meaning to the leaders. God Bless the USA. Thank you veterans!🇺🇸
@@kmed3526 Let's not forget that the actual cause of the accident was because of a faulty repair conducted and signed off by Boeing, an American company. It's always easy to point the finger in hindsight. Why do you bring communism into the discussion?
@@kmed3526 Amen brother. People of the US should be proud of their country. No man would be left behind in a situation like this. I can guarantee you that.
The U.S. Air Force immediately offered assistance and could have been at the crash site very quickly. The Japanese government refused to allow them to help. It was proven that more people had initially survived but died waiting for rescue.
@@kmed3526 Way to bring an international tragedy into American politics, for no reason at all. Librerals/Republicans/Communists/Facists, all are people. If you think you are much different than the others in your country, who simply have different political beliefs, you are a victim of propaganda. America, and the world, is stronger united together.
Horrible, Horrible, terrifying those beautiful souls went thru that the pilots tried everything and anything to save that . RIP TO EVERYONE LOST and blessings to survivors or anyone associated with this Tragedy.
@@justadudeffs but that is what happened in the news. Actual rescue arrived many HOURS later. If they let the Americans help, they could’ve saved more lives. 🥴
@@justadudeffs You know this is a reenactment from a real life event right? A rescue heli saw a fire but they did not go check further to the possible wreckage site because it was night time. What a disaster.
The fact that one of the best trained military units in the world (the US Marines) were ready and chomping at the bit to go and begin a rescue mission, then told to return to base, kills me. They could have saved so many lives if "competition" were not an issue. Disgusting.
Saving face has always been an important part of the Japanese culture. It’s not just Japan though. Russia let a whole submarine full of sailors suffocate at the bottom of the sea all the while refusing U.S. help. It’s not like their sub was super secret cutting-edge technology that they had to protect either. So much suspicion among nations even to this day.
How is the US not a Japanese ally? WWII was quite a while ago and we’ve been close allies since. How is accepting help from close allies dishonorable/something which causes a loss of face?
Imagine if the rescuers in turkeys earthquake just decided to stop looking after a day because they "didn't expect any survivors", how many more people would have died.
Let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place. 520 people were killed by Boeing.
Apparently the flight simulation for this is like impossible. Nobody could last in the air as long as they did in simulations with the same conditions. They were absolutely incredible pilots. Currently I don’t think anyone has ever managed to land the plane in a simulation.
why cant you mention the global conspiracy theory called covid??? anyone who can think for themselves and not allow the box in your living room which is the real virus to sway your thinking will know that this is a global SCAM!!!
Not really a matter of laziness. A lot of it had to do with the complexities of the terrain, and even some pants-on-head diplomatic conflict, if you could even believe it...
I'm way too obsessed with this series. I check for an ep everyday. However, these eps make me appreciate life, delays, maintenance and flying crews even more than I did. In so little time your life can end or be changed forever.
I think a new "Mayday" episode is posted every Thursday, no need to check every day! :-P Also, I agree with your outlook. After watching these disasters, I have so much more appreciation for everyone in the airline industry!
i trapped on this channel for over 1 year,help
"mayday: air disaster" also posts these, they have more vids too
This series actually made me research the origin of the call "mayday". We live and learn.
Me too, and my friends think why? and something must be wrong with me.
"They're shocked to find a survivor."
After all, they gave them 14+ hours to die.
Exactly
I think more people could survive if they found them after the crash quickly they shouldn't have waited 14+ hours. I feel bad for those people who died waiting for rescue.
Yeah coming from the woman’s story that survived they could’ve saved a hell of a lot more people by responding quickly
If they came after like 3 hours the could also have found more people
If they give the Americans a go signal to help a lot of people could survive. Sad
Imagine surviving the crash, seeing rescue, then the rescue just... goes back.
It's such a shame, they may have found more survivors if they had actually tried to look for them
Right !!!
So Sad ! 🥺😔💔
I’d literally die. I’m already hurt. Ppl don’t know that surviving is mental as well. Hearing them leave me would kill me.
An off duty flight attendant survives: that is Fate, in which like in other Asian cultures the Japanese do believe.
That’s when you go ‘those motherf**kers’
The pilots did not kill 520 people that day, they saved 4.
Incredible props to them for keeping the aircraft airborne for so long in such conditions, complete heroes👏👏
More than 4
actually they save a lot more. The incompetant and arrogant Japan rescue team failed to save them.
Yes, it’s so awful that their efforts where put to waste in the rescue operation. But 4 people managed to continue walking the earth because of them :)
God killed 520 people & saved 4. Business as usual in the heavens.
Yeah, I don’t blame the pilots. The rescuers are to blame that more people didn’t survive.
How do you just decide not to go in immediately and rescue the people?! That absolutely infuriated me!
let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place.
520 people were killed by an American company.
The area was obviously too dangerous and dark for help to ascend quickly. I was surprised too. But there had to have been a solid reason to delay rescue. It honestly appeared as if there were no survivors, firstly. Secondly, you Couldn’t even detect plane parts in the wreckage. It was an inferno! It had just taken off. All fulla fuel. Hit the side of the mountain with 100 G’s of force. Yeah, I wouldn’t risk sending live people, in the dark forests, inhaling burning fuel to a crash site that looked unsurvivable. Then what? Hoist, in the dark, wounded people down the side of the mountain? In what? Homemade gurneys? No place to land a helicopter. Yeah, they could have gone and offered immediate medical help minus leaving the scene. But it was a death zone! Hence rescue being called off until safe and practical, for ALL involved.
And yet in reality the crash site was not a death zone since many people were alive and could of survived of rescuers just had some basic medical assistance. In reality it would of been worth going to the crash site at night if just to save a single life!!!!!!!
those marines should've landed, might've saved one extra life. i know those in the helicopter will remember that night for the rest of their lives.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 While I do agree the rescue crew were unprepared for such an event like this, I however don't agree it was even close to impossible as you could bring helicopters equipped with floodlights, or just bring floodlights and basket pulleys with well clothed crew, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it could have taken 2-4 hours to extract A few dozen survivors yet anything is better than waiting till the next day for sure.
“But since they don’t expect to find anyone alive, they spent the night in a village”
Honestly, unbelievable negligence.
And if they would have let the US go and help since they were ready and close.
Japan is just something else. This is sad they refused to be helped
@@abrokyiremus3m639 this was back in the 80s, there are still alot of tension between the two.
@@abrokyiremus3m639 they are doing population control maybe?
never buy a volkswagen!!!!! they break they are expensive and they scam you on warrantees
Moral of the story: rescue people immediately.
Also another moral: Don’t trust politics
How about - Ensure that the repairs are done correctly by "the manufacturer"
All of the above?
@@jobanh7ify what about the flight attendant? She was selfish and caused increase cabin pressure
@@GardenGuy1943 how so?
The fact the pilots fought this insane plane for 30 mins is commendable in itself. May their souls rest in eternal peace
The souls: HEY God
The god: what
The souls: You never made a miracle where they don't come.for 1 mins and the 16 people should be the 3 of us f*** u
The god: OK OK just be born again and I will make a miracle where u can go back to airport
The souls: ok
Tried flying it in a sim couldnt last 10 mins its amaxing what they managed
Honestly, if I was going to die in a plane, I’d rather it happen right away vs having to think about it for 30 minutes.
Thats why some have a fear of flying. They know statistically its safer than driving. It's that going down in a plane from 30,000 feet is more terrifying than any deadly car accident.
I don't think they fought the plane exactly, they fought physics. The plane was damaged through no fault of its own, the fact it remained airborne at all is testament to the modern miracle of engineering. The pilots struggled to keep their crippled plane in the air, battling hypoxia and fear, fighting against gravity, and they did a truly remarkable job, but in the end physics always wins.
After this crash, a man named Denny Fitch actually studied this crash, and he also practiced controlling an aircraft with only its throttles in a flight simulator. Then, 4 years after Japan Airlines flight 123, he just so happened to have been on the DC-10 of United Airlines flight 232 when it's number 2 tail engine failed, and just like Japan Airlines 123, United Airlines 232 also lost all of it's hydraulics, and entered into a phugoid cycle. Fitch managed to ask a flight attendant to let him into the cockpit and help the pilots of that flight get to Sioux City airport. They were close, but at the last moment, the right wing dropped, and the airplane crash landed at the airport killing 112 people (initially it was 111), but 184 others, including Fitch and the cockpit crew, survived the crash, and ultimately became heroes.
I heard about this, I literally can’t imagine was Fitch was thinking. Like imagine practicing the most nightmare situation in a simulation thinking like never in a million years would I ever be in this situation, hopefully. And then being put into that exact situation knowing exactly what the risks are. To be that aware would be terrifying.
@@dylanagoblin9298that is absolutely nuts to think about
This is so sad. I feel so bad for all of the people who initially survived, but died in the cold night air. Curse these idiots that run the rescue teams. 14 hours after the crash is unacceptable.
they should of came 30 minutes later. I agree with you. If I were a rescurer, I would go inmediately after dissipearing from radar and be the first to rescue them.
I don’t understand why they came 14 hours later. I just don’t get it.
@@Interdictiondeltawing there was a US military helicopter that offered immediate assistance but got declined
@@Interdictiondeltawing there was a us helicopter there within minutes lol
Did the video not indicate that the US Marines were in position to repel down the mountain but were called back for some reason? WTF? They would have found survivors and then supplies/blankets could have been airdropped to them so they could have had a much higher survival rate even if it took a few hours to build helipads for medical evac. I absolutely do not get it.
During a flying programme in my school, using our computer, our instructor gave us examples of plane disasters in the past, and JAL 123 was one of them, and we all tried landing the plane without the tail, none of us made it past 10 min, so we’re all amazed at how the pilots made it through over 30 minutes
When you're in a life or death situation your will power can do the impossible
Unfortunately their heroic efforts where they probably did save some lives were in vein, because the "rescuers" pretty much gave them all a death sentence , I'm shocked that 4 people survived
@@mashivir6792 I’m even more surprised that many even survived the crash
@@marcox2937 The video already said that those in the back of the place would experience less deceleration
force and thus, could survive.
@@mashivir6792
*in vain
(a vein is in the body)
@@somethingelse9228 that’s when I first heard of this crash when I was young
It’s absolutely heartbreaking that there were marines ready to repel down and help those people so soon after the crash and instead they were told to return to base. Who knows how many more people could have survived had they been allowed to help.
None
Well considering 4 people were alive, there were probably more, but Japan was too proud to ask for help even with a huge US Naval base nearby that was equipped for exactly that sort of operation... @@AnakKosan12
No one talks about how brave the flight attendants are
they need exceptional hazard pay for every emergency! And 3 weeks off after!
May all that lost their lives RIP it rips your heart apart , these poor people how they suffered while the plane went down , I can’t imagine , the fear , the children on board , you listen to the real error of why this plane went down breaks the heart.🕯
"Since the rescuers don't expect to find any survivors, they spend the night in a village." They never should have made that assumption - those poor surviving victims had to suffer through the night.
Right, unless you see their dead body than you can say they dead. Smh
So wrong. Ugh
I thought the exact same thing. Never make assumptions until you're there. No matter what the helicopter saw or reported.I mean really...the helicopter said there was too much smoke to see not to mention the natural foliage and people that may have still been trapped in the wreckage.
But boeings are can lose control
why be in the business when they have no heart. if its their family, they will think differently.
The pilots were heroes. They fought until the end. It's a miracle they kept it in air for so long, it was basically uncontrollable.
Well when a plane or anything really is in a nose dive/plummeting to the ground, the smart thing to do is increase the flow of air beneath the surface due to aerodynamics. If you make a paper plane and launch it in the air for example, how does it stay airborne with no engines at all? I'll let you answer that😉
They kept a brick flying for 30 minutes, that shows how good they were
@@shyryTsr2k When in company you are that typical know-it-all wisenose who everyone wants to avoid like the plague
@@shyryTsr2k after the accident, plane companies all over the world use the data from the black box to construct simulation training. No one last more than 10 minute.
@@shyryTsr2k Idiot. It´s a jumbo jet. It´s far too heavy to glide enough to not violently crash nevermind fly.
Dozens of experienced pilots have done this flight int he simulator. None of them even managed to keep it in the sky for as long as these pilots did. It was determined that it was entirely impossible to save this plane even if they had immediately reacted perfectly.
This isn’t meant to sound sardonic, but in all seriousness, these pilots were incredible for keeping this plane airborne for as long as they did
I’ll bet the simulator pilots couldn’t fly it as long as the JAL pilots did. They didn’t say. They routinely reenact accidents thru simulation. The Hudson River landing could have only been done by Sully and his crew. Every simulator failed.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 And when the simulation succeeded the pilots knew what was going to happen so they were prepared.
This sounds brutal but if they haven’t lost altitude passengers would have just fallen into asleep and shorten the terrifying situation.
The crew was absolutely amazing given their doom scenario
@@hoosierbaddy3052 *Wrong !! They did say 8 or more pilots tried the same scenario as JAL123 and all pilots failed. Only 1 pilot and his first officer, they could only keep the airplane in the air for 11 minutes so the 2 pilots of JAL123 did an amazing job to keep the Boeing 747 airborne for over half an hour with that broken tail. They tried their hardest and fought right until the very end even though they knew the situation was hopeless and they were going to die. I still think the pilots and engineer should have used their oxygen masks because I do believe they were dealing with early stages of hypoxia as well.*
Those who delayed the rescue should be strictly punished.
I have a feeling some pride was behind the decision. Somebody on high up didn't want Americans to do their job. If they had let their pride slide, more people would have been saved. That's my theory at least.
@@RemnantCult It's not just pride, but also incompetence and negligence. The scars from 1945 were still recent, so one could maybe make a valid argument to defend their decision in neglecting the Americans' help. Especially if they were quick enough to try to save their own people themselves.
But the fact they not only refused outside help, but also considered that there were no survivors is just beyond absurd and there's nothing in this world that could justify that decision whatsoever.
From the ground, Gunma, Nagano, and Saitama prefectural police searched the crash site. From the air, the U.S. military and Air Self-Defense Force were checking for flames in the mountains, but the area around the crash site was a virgin forest that had been closed to the public for falconry in the Edo period (1603-1868), except for the Karamatsu pine trees planted by the Forestry Bureau in 1963. In addition to this, the radar and TACAN positioning errors, and the fact that it was a dark night with a moon age of 25.1 on the day of the accident, made it extremely difficult to locate the crash site by ground search. In addition, satellite positioning systems such as GPS had not yet been put into practical use at the time, making it difficult to accurately measure the location of the crash site.
At 20:21, a patrol car from the Usuda Police Station of the Nagano Prefectural Police (now the Minami-Saku Office of the Saku Police Station) reported that they could see black smoke around the border between Saitama and Gunma Prefectures, and at 21:39, patrol cars from both Saitama and Nagano Prefectural Police found red smoke to the west-northwest of the Mikuni Pass, leading the Nagano Prefectural Police to announce that the crash site was in the mountains on the Gunma Prefecture side at midnight on January 12.
However, in addition to the 110 call from an unidentified caller, "The plane crashed near Grape Pass in Kitaaigi Village, Nagano Prefecture," and the "north slope of Mt. As mentioned above, GPS and other technologies had not yet been put into practical use, and the search on the ground was confusing due to the multiple location information.
As a result, ground searches by firefighters, police, Air Self-Defense Force ground search teams dispatched in response to a disaster relief request, and various Ground Self-Defense Force search teams took so long that they could not reach the site until 9:00 the next morning, 11 hours and 30 minutes after the 21:30 dispatch request to the Ground SDF in Gunma and Nagano.
The commentary points out that the accuracy of TACAN positioning varies depending on the crew's knowledge of the land and other factors, and shows the positioning results for each aircraft from the night of the 12th to the morning of the 13th in a table and map.
At 19:54, the rescue team of the Air Self-Defense Force's Momosato Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture launched an MU-2S rescue and search aircraft and a KV-107 helicopter without a disaster dispatch request; the KV-107 helicopter arrived over the accident site at 20:42.
One of the former JSDF medics who was involved in the rescue operation with the KV-107 rescue helicopter belonging to the Hyakuri Rescue Team of the Air Self-Defense Force, which conducted search and rescue operations over the accident site immediately after the accident, wrote in his memoirs.
The rescue team took turns dispatching two helicopters to the scene for rescue operations, and at approximately 21:05, the second dispatch team arrived at the scene and began a high-altitude reconnaissance to find a place to drop the crew. At around 10:20 p.m., they descended to a medium altitude and searched again for a descent point, but were unable to find one due to power lines. At around 23:00, the command center instructed the rescue team to guide dozens of fire trucks stuck on the ground to the site, but they failed to do so because they could not establish radio communication with the fire trucks.
The rescue team gave the following reasons for their inability to rescue the victims over the site.
While continuing the reconnaissance flight, there was a heated discussion among the onboard crew about the viability of other rescue methods. The main topics included parachute forest descent for rescuers, high-altitude rappelling descent with a rescue rope tied to a hoist cable, approach with visibility secured by the light of a flare used for offshore rescue, and forced landing in a nearby village square, etc. Parachutes of the time had poor umbrella control performance, and the air currents made it difficult to land in the midst of a huge flame. However, the parachutes of the time had poor umbrella maneuverability, and air currents could cause the aircraft to land in the middle of a huge flame. In addition, the risk of secondary disasters was too great for a forced landing because the obstacles had not been identified, and it was concluded that none of these options were feasible.
@@Lu-ql recent is 40 years? 🤔
最も厳罰されるべきはボーイング社のエンジニアだろうけどな
Those pilots were really good.They managed to fly the plane WITHOUT A TAIL for over 30 minutes, all while possibly suffering from hypoxia.
Not the half of it, even- they were fighting a total Black Swan scenario. Zero hydraulics for the aileron or elevator.
I still don't understand why they didn't put their oxygen mask...
@@boathousejoed9005They didn't know they were bleeding pressure, and oxygen masks only last for a few minutes- the intent being to have enough o2 to get down to a safe altitude, which they weren't able to do.
If they had lost their 'tail' it would have ended immediately: They lost part of the vertical STABILIZER. But with no hydraulics to operate control surfaces, they did the best they could.
honey, you cant fly a plain without a tail, the aerodynamics dont work like that
"A plane crashed on the mountain."
"Aight bet. I'll check it out when I feel like it."
*Meanwhile people are dying*
@@gojira4036 Yeah, many more could have been saved if they'd gotten their rears in gear and got there in a timely manner. I remember reading about this horrible crash in the paper and saw it on the news. Very sad. RIP to all who perished. Kyu Sakamoto, a singer, also died in this crash. He had a hit song here in the US---"Sukiyaki" in 1965. I have a copy of that record. (Jan Griffiths).
26:06 Even the Marines were right there ready to help right and they got called away.
@@Anonymous-pm7jf Yup, same story with that Korea Sewol ferry tragedy. The US Navy was there equip with far more advance maritime equipment with experience rescue team and they were told to leave. Meanwhile the inexperience Korean Coast Guard just stood there far away from the ship because they don't know what to do. Private boats started to step in to help. US Navy left the scene and some months later the Korean Coast Guard was disbanded by their president.
@@aliceandcat2228 same happened when Russia lost one of their nuclear submarines. There were survivors still trapped inside and the U.S. knew it happened and offered to help but the Russians denied them. Crazy.
the trauma that surrounds these survivors is unthinkable. I shed a tear for all souls that were lost
never buy a volkswagen!!!!! they break they are expensive and they scam you on warrantees
19:51....I admire that attendant's optimism and professional courage in the face of mortal doom.
never buy a volkswagen!!!!! they break they are expensive and they scam you on warrantees
So many people could've survived, if the rescuers weren't late.
if only jp could cast aside whatever was holding them back from getting help by the US :( Rescue was literally right above the crash site with multiple survivers still alive, but had to go back because of orders
True
@@victordodai6311 Part of that is because, at the time, there was still a rather large segment of the political elite that hated the US being in their country. That has since changed, of course, given that when the Tsunami occurred a few years ago the US helped out.
And despite it not being mentioned much, this crash is part of what caused that ruling elite to come under a lot of flak for interfering in rescue operations and eventually lead to the US military base being given more autonomy to help out in rescue operations.
Of course, this crash also lead to protests in regards to Japanese rescue services and putting aside "most" of their rivalries (I say most, because some of that still exists)
imagine being in that position laying in the ground,hope for the rescue to come,and realise that the rescue doesnt come until morning :(
@@Suisfonia the fact that they prioritized their hatred towards a country than their own people is gruesome... Imagine what the few survivors were thinking
''Oh god, im alive, its a miracle!'' Just to die minutes or hours later because rescue from another country was rejected... I'm glad the protests worked and that JP has changed since then though :)
When you realize that the plane crash was just half part of this disaster.
90% Boeing Maintenance workers fault 20% Rescue team failures fault
@@xktwnxl4zlx213 yes exactly
@@xktwnxl4zlx213 I don’t think that’s how percentages work
@@NameThatIsJust r/woosh
@@xktwnxl4zlx213 i never knew you could go up to 115% bro
In 1987, the flight crew of JAL 123 were awarded the Polaris Air Award.
This is the world's highest and rarest civil aviation award.
It is awarded to flight crews who have exhibited outstanding flying abilities under the most dire of circumstances.
They were the only crew in the world to be honored with that award in all of 1987.
R.I.P. TO ALL THOSE WHO PERISHED.
1985 not 1987
@@AresGoldie747 - As far as I can tell, the award was made in 1987. The incident took place in 1985.
I mean they managed to fly on 747 without tale for more than 30 minutes. They did everything they could...
The fact that anyone at all survived this crash is just incredible.
520 dead
4 injured
4 survived
I wonder how many more would of survived if the Americans were allowed to go in right away, or the rescuers did actually bother to go in straight away
@@tucker3601someone said 64 people would've surived. Don't know if that's true or not.
@@8luvbugthis is almost Impossible to know. Is just especulations.
@@Blackoutviperthere's tons of last message written on napkins scattered around crash site. With pretty bad writing
Definitely not written during flying nor by ghost
The fact that there could’ve been more that 4 survivors makes me shiver, imagine you surviving the crash only to slowly wait for your death, hopeless that help will come for them…
There were supposed to be about 16 that survived the crash but only 4 made it out alive
Wow nearly word by word the same I just commented. I just only added the morbid assumption that even you are normally one of the luckiest person in the world, to survive such a horrific crash and that you must be feel unbelievable sensations slowly (or quick, I can’t put myself into this experience) recognising you survived a plane crash, you maybe would be blessed if you are one of the people died immediately without further suffering. The survivors died 2 times. Reminds me to the unbelievable gruesome tactic in nazi concentration camps to strangulate people near their death. Normally they were dead. But they made first aid and rescue works on these poor people to take them back into life just for killing them again. Not imaginable what a body and brain experience in this feverdream like torture.
@@Cr7TheGoat. hows you know there was only 16?
@@TheApp9 I... never heard of the Nazis doing that, oh I heard of them doing HORRENDOUS things, but not that. That's, well you took the words out of my mouth.
@@anonymousperson3023 my friend who is Japanese told me that
I'm Japanese. The note says : Darling. It's pity it turns in this way. Please take care of children. It's six thirty. The plane is something something. (can't read. Sorry ) and descending. I'm grateful that it's been happy life so far.
😭😭💔
oh cool! we got a translation! thank you, now I might have more knowledge on the Japanese language. I always wanted to learn the Japanese language myself, any tips you might have Q?
@@macaylacayton2915 Marry a Japanese? or you can just make a friend or two. But it's nice to know someone is interested in Japanese language.
@@Q3x3Q3x3 same with me, I always had an interest in Japanese culture myself as well. I always had an interest in other cultures and mythologies and languages
Why do you have to make me cry.... 😭😭😭
So planes really are the safest form of travel,but when there's an emergency, your in for one of the most horror situation anyone could EVER experience 😬😔🙏
Tbh its the most safest n deadliest mode of transport
@@rfabhinav8639 yes totally. When things go well,they go VERY well,but when things go bad,they go VERY bad
Well atleast you go out quick? Nothing really remains...
Living in Mexico is even worse...
@@patriotaespanol6943 😬
I can imagine what the passengers went through. The terror they must have felt. I was heart broken when the older couple just looked at eachother and accepted their fate. Also the fact that the pilots were able to keep the stricken plan in the air
You do realize they are actors...
@@berits.2346 Nobody said otherwise
@@berits.2346 There would have been passengers that would have knew it was the end for them. So they did what they could to prepare for their death.
The elderly couple was a symbol of their death becuase they be together for many decades.
those were actors
I am outraged that these people weren’t helped IMMEDIATELY!
They could have been but Japan refused foreign help!I'm not sure but i think US offered help.
@@maggie210 that is so disgusting! My goodness.
seriously, these emotions... think clearly lol
in the dark with all those fires, trees, middle of nowhere
you can land max 8 people with some basic equipment, they could only help the easiest accessible people
@@Vanyali are you missing the point?! They waited before helping ANYONE! Foh.
@@Vanyali the US army was ready to go immediately and would have been there that same night. What are you talking about.
There is absolutely no excuses for how long it took to reach the crash site!
the US air base was like less than 100km away.. they are even the one who reported the sighting of the burning crash site..that is why within less than 30 mins there helicopter already approach the crash site.. if only they let the US get involved in the rescue
They needed to be well rested. Do you know how exhausting lifting human bodies can be?? Sheesh so insensitive
@@xamina12345 yep I hope the Japanese culture change
@@ohh2752 They already get plenty of sleep, coffee, and they’re not even in war, they’re only search and rescue. So they get shifts, so your incorrect.
@@justasteamplayer7542 lmfao was being sarcastic
The plane was flying in a terrifying pattern. To go nose up only to dive again over and over, I cannot begin to imagine how the passengers felt. 😥
I feel so sad for the families on board and I cannot even imagine how Kyu Sakamoto's wife must have felt after losing her husband. The faulty repair was infuriating, not just that they delayed rescue.
What's even tragic was that his body was completely destroyed due to the crash. Only a couple of pieces of bone was left of him and DNA test was used to identify him.
My classmate was born just because of this event. His dad and mom met while investigating the crash, one from the USA, one from Japan.
Your classmate is 35 yrs old?
@@msmo2060 probably old classmate
@@msmo2060 yess he a late learner lol
@@msmo2060 could be their youngest kid, could've been born in the 90s...just bc 2 ppl meet once doesn't mean they immediately have kids, usually that takes a while, most especially if they're both forensic investigators (aka meaning having a bit more income than the average joe)
I al born the date of the crash same hour it was monday 12 August 1985 at 07
The story narrated by the survivor, the off duty flight attendant, really hurt my heart. Especially when she mentioned the helicopter went away and she no longer heard the boy and his mother calling out to each other.
The crash itself wasn't as heart shattering as much as the complete negligence of the rescuers in the aftermath of the crash.
Yes I agree with you, that when she stopped hearing the voices crying out, that moment was the hardest to take, because more could have been saved. People suck.
People can survive the moment after a crash, and then many slowly will die. Just because you make the first minute does not mean you'll go much longer.
@@chrismount8793 Well, I hope you will think the same when you or somebody loved by you will be in a life or death situation. What a heartless comment.
let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place.
520 people were killed by an American company.
@@monaminas hats off for this one
I do not understand why many of the comments here not focusing on improper repair, which is the main cause of this plane crash. You may blame the rescue team for delayed rescue operation. But, remember, If the plane had been repaired properly, this crash could have been prevented, and this plane would have landed at Osaka, and majority of passengers and crews onboard this plane may still be alive as of today.
I think most people focus on the human aspects of the disaster: passengers, pilots, rescuers, and family. I wonder if it's possible to have a redundant (electrical) system to power the control surfaces of the plane when hydraulic pressure is gone. There was a backup electrical system to lower the landing gear. Why not a backup electrical system to power the ailerons, tail flaps, and rudder? Even with the tail's rudder blown off, I think the plane could have been controlled much better if the pilots had control of the ailerons and tail flaps. Or is it possible to have separate hydraulic systems for the different control surfaces, so that if one hydraulic system (for the tail rudder) gets ruptured and loses pressure, it won't cause the plane's entire hydraulic system to lose all pressure?
@@jonstone9741 For Japan Airlines flight 123 accident, the plane was delivered in 197x. The technologies at that time were very limited. But, today's technologies are different. Many newer passenger planes use fly-by-wire system for controls. Multiple computers assist in controlling the aircraft. There are redundancies. If any of the computers or systems fail, the other computers or systems can still be used to control the aircraft.
@@cshong87 Thanks for the info. One other bit of info I got from the video was that the only survivors were seated in the rear of the plane. Seems like it might be a good idea to request a seat in the rear.
@@jonstone9741 That all depends on how the plane crashes. If it goes down tail first, the rear seats will get the worst. So it's really all up to luck...that you don't get in a crash and that if you do you are in the best seat to survive.
I think the rescue crew coming late was the most shocking part of the video because the point of the rescue team is to rescue as soon as possible and they made a deliberate decision to delay the rescue. The improper repair was not deliberate. It was a human error, an oversight, that could happen to anyone at any moment in time. That does not excuse them for doing it incorrectly. But I still found it shocking that the rescue team made such a stupid and presumptuous decision.
I've only had one in-flight emergency during my time as a private pilot. I lost all electronics in flight while flying in Spain. It didn't cause any issues with flying the plane, though. It only caused me to lose all communication with the tower. I only had to hope that the tower would understand I had no way to communicate as I entered the pattern, and act accordingly. My landing was uneventful, and I had no issues with other air traffic. That experience was nothing compared to this. My heart breaks for all those lost. I hope that after all these years, the few survivors have been able to move on and heal up both physically and emotionally.
First of all it is a good thing you are still alive and second what caused your electronics to go down?
@@GeeLove- To this day, I do not know. The aircraft was still in the maintenance shop four months later when I left the country. I was in Spain at the time.
Thank you for your calm and developed ability. Much respect.
My respect to those pilots. They never gave up, even though they had no chance. Reminds me of the pilots of Alaska 261
imagine keeping your mind functioning when your plane is descending 5.5km/min. truly the pilots were heroes. at least they didn't fail their people.
@@ranirathi3379 They had other pilots fly in a simulator with the same problem and they all crashed. The only difference was that they crashed after about 10 mins. These pilots flew about 30 mins. I definitely consider them heroes
Or the dhl flight which got hit by a missile and lost all hydraulics
@@GianlucaBerger Yep, especially since they managed to still have survivors after the crash. Not their fault the rescue for the those that lived was so delayed. These guys not only kept the plane up for an unimaginable amount of time but people survived such a disaster.
Everyone's forgetting that it's their lives too....
You always check for survivors. This event made that a law.
Really?
@@thatsyourfookingjobyoufook8946 yes its a law in New Zealand idk if it is in Japan
It should be a law. Lives matter
@@thatsyourfookingjobyoufook8946 yes it is now an aviation law worldwide
@@surgeon1016 I hope so 🥺
I've experienced hypoxia in a controlled environment and you don't really notice anything wrong. Also, the more chaos, the more apparent it is that there is something wrong with you for everyone around you, but you yourself won't notice anything abnormal.
The very last thing I was asked to do, 3 minutes into the experience, was to put both my arms up, then to my chest and then touch my nose with 1 hand. Apparently, it took me 21 seconds to do all that and they had to ask me to put my arms up 3x, my arms to the chest 3x and one of my hands on my nose 6x, to which I only responded after visual queues (basically the monkey see, monkey do method where they put their hands on their nose and you copy whatever you see them doing). I do not remember being asked to do any of it nor do I remember doing it myself.
After 5 minutes of flying that airplane in a low oxygen environment, I do not find it strange at all that they were unresponsive to most things by that point. If anything, I'm surprised the flying engineer in the 3rd seat of the cockpit was still clear headed enough by that point to even suggest putting on oxygen masks.
For there to be survivors at all is absolutely insane. The force that plane must have crashed with is incredible. Absolute miracles.
Imagine surviving that crash, hearing a helicopter come by, but laying there for 14 more hours in a burning mess. I bet if the US military had been allowed to land they would have found more survivors.
the lady said there were more surviviors....
Fionnah Saunders. I agree with the previous commentators, the Japanese Defense and emergency services appalling response , is unbelievable. 14 hours later and only a 100 or so miles from Tokyo. That calls for a thorough investigation in itself.
trueee
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT !!
True
What a shame on this leadership. I'm Japanese and I'm disgusted at their decisions. There were more survivors had Japanese Rescue went straight there and NOT camp up for the night. And why deny the American help!?!? I don't understand this ego and pride. Which is all I could think of as the reason they refused their help.
Yup, kind of strange
exactly . While i was watching this vedio,
What ? They are making a camp? What the #
😞😞
@Sunshine Ng easy there. Admiral Yamamoto only attacked because he believed he had no other choice. I don’t think the attack was done in hatred. It was war, and we had cut off their oil. At the very least, Japan doesn’t resent the U.S. because of their own attack on Pearl Harbor. If anything, it’s probably because after their surrender they were forbidden from having their own military and we (America) occupied the country. This would be a disgrace to anybody, and with honor being very important in their culture this could lead to a lot of embarrassment.
@@TheLilram2100 where is the honor in letting your own people die?
hats off to the team for reviving the crew members and letting them tell their story
There were only 4 survivors and yumi (I think that’s what her name is) was the only one ON THE FLIGHT, that got interviewed
All the others in the plane while telling the stories are just actors
Back in 1985 I was a freshman in high school and I remember this. The pilots did the best they could. Those poor souls. It's miraculous that anyone survivors. Condolences to the families even though it has been almost 38 years.
Those pilots were BADASSES. Not knowing the issue, they fought for 30 minutes, improvising, and then doing it again and again every time the plane rose or dipped. That's being real in the moment.
I've always thought that all airliners should be fitted with cctv cameras in and out of the aircraft giving pilots real time view of specific parts that may be damaged or malfunctioning, like in this case was the tail section that was blown away by the explosive escape of pressurized cabin air...
@@airplanelover2647 how did he disrespect them?
@@TrophiHunterSeth By saying the badass!!!!
@@TrophiHunterSeth Either he is joking about my comment or doesn't understand vernacular English.
@@airplanelover2647 your the definition of sped aren't you?
I can’t imagine anything more terrifying then being on an out of control airplane
an out of control airplane THATS ON FIRE
and not being able to breathe or see what’s going on in the cockpit.
Me neither. I watch these shows and wonder.... WHY? I'm intrigued but it's so awful. I really don't want to ever fly again.
Right? 😞 And for so long! 😞
You've never seen my old lady
Those pilots might not have been on a bonafide battlefield, but they are warriors regardless. Fought to the bitter end. RIP to those badasses and the innocent people who lost their lives that day :(
His deceleration from 108 mph (173 km/h) to 0 in a distance of 26 inches (66 cm) is one of the highest G-loads survived in a crash (180 G).
Denny Fitch, a DC-10 instructor for United Airlines, studied JAL Flight 123 extensively and practiced maneuvers using only engine throttles in the simulator. It was Fitch's knowledge and experience of this accident that allowed him and the crew of United Flight 232 to steer their crippled DC-10 using only throttles to a crash landing at Sioux City Airport after they lost hydraulics. The captain of Flight 232, Al Haynes, later gave seminars on CRM and controlling without hydraulics to pilots all around the world. One of the pilots who attended Haynes' seminar was Eric Gennotte, who less than a year after that seminar, was the captain of the DHL A300 flying out of Baghdad that was struck by a SAM and lost all of its hydraulics. Gennotte and his crew, using only throttles, landed their plane safely back at Baghdad.
fun fact about that dc10 after that happened the us airforce made a AI (ish) program that could help fly a plan with no hydraulics but it was never put out cus it wasn't believed to be needed more
What a coincidence
Respect to the JAL pilots as they lost its entire tail compared to the dhl and ua planes, making control almost impossible.
Eastern airline flight 935 which is a lockheed l1011 also suffered a hydraulic losses from an engine failure. Thankfully, the l1011 had 4 hydraulics line compare to dc 10 with 3. Only 1 was intact and the jet landed safely.
Excellent post!
Mayday: Air Disaster is the best done documentary series I've ever watched. It's been my favorite for over a decade. It's so well re-enacted, you feel like you're on the plane as it's going down or in the cockpit trying to save everybody. Can watch a marathon of this and get on an int'l flight the next day with no fear. These investigations and the changes that come from them are why air travel is so safe these days. But the stories are heart-wrenching and I've cried through many episodes.
"These investigations and the changes that come from them are why air travel is so safe these days." - you are absolutely right. the only silver lining from these terrible disasters is that they forced humanity to learn from these mistakes, and to institutionalise tighter rules and regulations to make travel safer in the world we live in today
I remember my mother telling me about this when I was 15. It was an incredible tragedy in our country, and to happen on the Obon Festival. I can't even imagine how the families of the dead felt.
The letter that was desperately written while the plane was shaking around gives me more chills than any other spooky writing I've ever seen in horror movies.
i was watching this while playing ps4 do u have a timestamp? or the time it was around?
@@jordanq2005 37:05
The writing of goodbye letters to their loved ones completely broke my heart...😢😥
I am virgen
@Rhonda Ro Leaving these notes in their pockets and wherever they prayed these notes would be found, HOPEFULLY !! TOO SAD beyond belief !! GOD BLESS THEM THEIR SOULS !!!
😪😪 I can't even imagine 😭😭😭😭😭🥺
Pull out l. Never
look up the elderly that saved fukushima saying "weve lived our lives. now it is our duty to prolong others." the story is....... incredible.
The man writing a note is the exact example of cherish every moment together with your loved ones cause that might be the last time you see your loved ones
This is very very sad.
Salute to Crew for doing everything in a very difficult situation.
The pilots were insanely skilled it's like driving a car without a steering and brakes but the drivers drove it for 30 mins !!!
Thankfully there’s (less) traffic in the sky than on roads, and there are only ‘metaphorical’ roads in the sky that are only in place for the sake of organization and safety, so you can go off course and such without putting nearly as much risk to the plane as it would to a car… but gosh, I can’t even imagine- I’m training to become a private pilot simply because it’s something that i truly love despite already having a professional career as an animator planned, and this is one of the crash stories that eats away at my entire *soul*…
considering the plane was crippled because of a repair done improperly, several years earlier.
Technically if you have Engine control you have steering on a multi engine plane
terrible analogy.
@@54raceman but if you have no hydraulics at all, good luck climbing or descending. In mountainous terrain, this plane had no chance.
So a bureaucratic battle for power ended killing more of the victims
smh it always does. we think it is only about us. the people who did the incorrect repair too would have been thinking of how they could save 25% repair costs for themselves. in the end innocents died bcz of it.
This is so sad for all these passengers! One of my favorite singers died in this crash,Kyu Sagamoto!
He had such a sweetness to his voice.
@@BarbaraJoanneBJ I think it was good that they had time to get right with God though. When I first found out about it ,it really hurt me thinking about how awful it must have been for him and everyone! I didn't hear them praying though! That bothers me because he had mentioned a shrine before. A lot of them made shrines and that is like idols! I just pray that Kyu was saved and made it to Heaven ! He had such a sweet smile and he was so kind acting.Kyu had such a beautiful voice! God Bless all of them and their survivors! Thank you God that you gave the world such a loving and talented man with such a beautiful voice!
My dearly departed Mom had a music box with that tune on it. I think of her whenever I hear that song.
Had no idea. Thanks for sharing. You’ve reminded me of some beautiful memories.
This is one of the most intense and saddest episodes of this series that I have ever seen. May the victims of Japan Airlines flight 123 rest in peace, and may the few survivors find peace.
Can you imagine the terror, hearing the voices of panicked and injured survivors, and over the course of 14 hours the voices slowly dissipating into the night as people succumb to their injuries. Props to the pilots for doing everything they could muster to keep the slightest amount of control over the plane
anything for brilliance of Boeing engineers?
@@chrisjoe3629 With every mistake comes generations of improved aircraft and technology that will prevent the repetition of past disasters as well as preventing unknown disasters. While this bad apple doesn’t look good on Boeing, I know they take every single opportunity to learn and improve.
@@Toolazytothinkofagoodhandle Learn and Improve?...that era ended in 80s..Boeing lied to regulators about changes to a critical flight-control system on the 737 Max to reduce the cost of pilot training and save the company tens of millions of dollars,,,Even after fcrashes they kept blaming the Pilot:
All this for falling way behind competition with Airbus Neo engines and to keep the wall street happy
@@chrisjoe3629 I see, I must be recalling a different video. Been a while since I binged watched all of these
@@Toolazytothinkofagoodhandle You are correct, this concept applies to everything, from toilets to buildings, cars to planes, phones to computers, chairs to lights, trams to trains, helis to tanks, it is only when the problem present itself that you know you need an alternative in the future, whats impressive to me is that humans are capable of figuring out new alternatives rather quickly after the fact, like it always been there or something!
The person who called off assistance from the American military deserves to be in jail. So many more people could’ve been saved. What an absolute shame
All the notes that were written are so heartbreaking
Too bad Americans did not have enough guts to help them in spite of that stupid order. Noone would care.
@@kkarx True but it could have led to Japan government kicking Americans out. Japanese public don't like American military bases in their country but the government has been ignoring it
So Americans pissing of the Japanese government is a no no
Prison for murder.
@@sorryi6685 Youre so wrong; the Japanese cannot kick the US military out, the conditions of their surrender to the US during WW2 was
1. permanent US military bases
2. that Japan should have no major military of their own except for a small national defense force(A National Guard)
3. that Japan become a Vassal of the US under its protection
rest in peace to everyone on board JAL123 and my heart goes out to the surviviors. this tragic incident has scarred aviation history for eternity
Those pilots are legendary. No other pilots could’ve done what they did flying that plane for that long
this one makes me MAD. I know that protocols have changed, but the fact that they waited ‘till daylight was a huge factor for people’s survival. Who knows how many could have survived if they had been rescued that night. Come on Japan
My blood was boiling from that fact, you never assume. You check and double check for survivors. May their souls find peace
Same, this one really is upsetting when you think how many of those she heard could have survived if only the Americans were allowed to help or the Japanese to get down there right after the crash. Just unexcusable!
For a country that prides itself on its peoples courtesy, hospitality, cleanliness and responsiveness to it's citizens needs, Japan has sadly dropped the rice bowl in this case. Very sad but yet they don't like ghosts, so why make so many of them??
@@Phlowermom hospitality to outsiders isn’t a particular value. Quite the opposite. Individuals are very nice, there’s no particular hate, but an insider outsider mentality is strong.
japan is typically very strict about procedure and following the book to a t, which makes this even more infuriating
Wtf:
Rescue: “I dont think they r alive” camps nearby.
Are you a rescue team or camping team? WTF
And they are Japan Ground Self Defense Forces too.. like soldiers trained to do Ops at night.. but they didnt and where to lazy.. wtf
Maybe it was fantastic camping spot, good fishing, nice view of the burning mountain, screams of they dying on the wind.
@@informitas0117 I totally agree like let them chill life is meant to be appreciated
I hope they were held responsible for the deaths of people waiting, struggling to survive.
Not sure about right to sue in Japan, but this delay is counter to everything I thought I knew about their culture
@@informitas0117 lol
Can we all just admit how accurate this channel is from the real world. Also I am just always entertained by this content. Keep up the good work! ❤
I've watched this episode at least 5 times over the years. Each time I watch it, it's just as chilling as the the last time I saw it. It's especially gut-wrenching hearing about how the passengers that were still alive after the crash perished overnight due to the delayed rescue. That horrific part makes me so mad and very, very sad and same time.
You know what I’ve noticed after binge watching these for a few days...bad maintenance practices and cost cutting decisions bring down more planes than anything else.
And they still haven't learned anything
@@King_of_Africa because the chances of this happening is rare. Dont fool yourself into thinking it's common. It's like when baseball players trot to first base after hitting a ball right to a SS glove
@@King_of_Africa They still haven't learned anything? Really? Not a thing? Oh for Pete's sake. Gotta love the paranoud layperson experts.
@@anonymousperson3023 so? We are laying customers, it better be safe
@@tek1645 They are being safe. You yokels are reacting like airliners crash at the same numbers they used to. Reminds me of zoomers who narcissistically believe they have the worst time in economic and crime in history, and their exceptionally prejudiced beliefs about elders is even close to being earned.
The flight crew did all they could do. Who was responsible for inspecting the repair and making sure it was done right?
Maintenance manager who committed suicide.
@@mysteryport wow thats crazy
I mean its japan the most self-killing country ever
@@muathkiumy1333 true
Rest in Peace to all the brave souls on flight 123 🕊️
My deepest and most respected salute to the cockpit crew. They fought to the end.
They need cameras near tail & engines.
The main culprit is the captain
@@Rafaelent2013 i triple dog dare u to successfully fly a plane without hydraulics and the tail fin blown off
@@Rafaelent2013 the main culprit is the broken tail fin. Without that, no plane can actually be controlled, try making a paper airplane but crumble the tail end and see how well it flies.
This is what my father, a retired airforce pilot now civil aviation pilot said, my boyfriend, an airplane engineer agreed.
They fought as much as the crew of Alaska 261
1987 The flight crew was posthumously awarded the Polaris Award for their efforts. It is the highest award in Civil Aviation
They’re probably one of the greatest pilots to ever grace the aviation industry, I saw so many pilots mention that no matter how many times they tried the simulation of the crash and none lasted as long as them in the air, not to mention they were suffering from hypoxia. I hope wherever they’re right now, they’re resting in peace
They definitely earned this honor for their jaw dropping bravery in a horrific situation.
The fact the crew kept this crippled plane airborne for 32 minutes is incredible. No other sim crew was able to hold onto the plane for that long when they ran the sims after the crash.
I’m disgusted by the response to the event. Honestly a disgrace to the families that they didn’t allow rescuers to come in IMMEDIATELY after because they were Americans
This is the one thing that bothers me the most. many more lives would have been saved if they had just allowed the americans to help. that was insanely selfish of the Japanese leadership. They should have said: whatever you can do to help, PLEASE DO IT ASAP, and thank you in advance.
@@greendesert69 Pride cometh before a fall. Unfortunately It cost the lives of hundreds. I remember this flight vividly, as I had just moved back to the US from Japan two months before. My father had been stationed at Yokota eight years prior and had retired while there in 1981. It takes a lot for an Air Force brat to swear off ever flying again, but it scared me that badly.
Unity is strength but no one listens. In a moment of tragedy American or Asian all could have saved lives
@@storyliker7428 Well spoken. 👏 Many blessings to you. 🙏😊
They deserved the death penalty, all of the idiots who were behind the obstacle to rescue.
The pilots on this aircraft were heroes. Did everything in their power to try and save a literally uncontrollable jet. Nobody on that flight deserved the death they got, especially the ones who literally bled to death in the night following.
R.I.P.
they fought to the end sad that they have this kind of luck
@@paaaatrika Ditching is too far worse than crashing into the mountain , the probability of surviving a ditching with that rapid uncontrolled descent is very rare. The very sad thing is the rescue delay.
@@amanifakhry4107 I really hope the asshats who said there was no one alive and it was hopeless had guilt eat them alive once they found the 4 survivors and heard their testimonies of other being alive.
Still don't understand why they didn't wear oxygen mask
@@cf1925 Exactly , I am sure they felt so>> plus whats the point of sending a rescue team if the rescuers assume there were no survivors .
The reenactments in this series are always well done. The pilots and passengers make it seem so real.
It's so annoying to understand why no one went down to the wreckage straight away and tried to find survivors. So many more people could've made it if that had happened. Just ridiculous.
That's not possible. All but the survivors were dismembered.
This crash also claimed the life of the famous Japanese singer, Kyu Sakamoto. He was the only Japanese singer to have a #1 hit in the United States with "Sukiyaki" in 1963.
i love that song so much and after knowing such an amazing singer died in such a horrible situation sadenes me so much 😭
Oh wow, I didn't know that! I love that song!
Great song
thank you for that
i looked it up and i remember that tune
I would tell all my sincere congratulations to the pilots to keep the plane as balanced as possible, even they could avoid their Boeing crashing !!!my Brother&and m'y father are pilots : i'm sure they would keep cool in that freaky flying conditions
What isn't mentioned here. For the first 10 years after the crash, many victim's families believed that the pilot was at fault. The voice recorder was not released to the public until 2000, and the JTSB only released a transcript of the recorder prior to it.. A part where he says ドーーンと行こうや could be taken as "let's go through a explosion." But when hearing it, you can see he says it as "let's go with it." Because of it Captain Takahama's family was harassed for many years.
WTF. They suffered something they shouldn’t have.
What a damn shame 💔😢
I can imagine their families must have felt so much shame as the Japanese have their honor codes etc…I can see you’re Japanese, so I’m hopeful I didn’t offend with my comment. I learned through history (not TV), a book here and there.
Such a distressing piece of info. So much suffering. God bless..
Thats horrible, especially since they were flying the plane for so damn long against all odds
That shot of the elderly couple holding hands made me burst into tears
What an absolute nightmare, the fact that there were any survivors at all is a miracle
The survival of these 4 passengers is a miracle, they slammed in to that mountain full speed now that blew my mind.
There were more people that survived the crash, and if the rescue had not been delayed many more than 4 people would have survived.
spoiler alert and thank you for reminding me why i should never scroll the comments
@@shane_asylum an idiot wouldn't have made that stupid mistake. You should know damn well not to look at comments.
I think when it first edged and sliced the tress it slowed it to some extent
@@abhilashkhajuria to be honest I've been thinking about this today, if it wasn't for that first impact no one would've probably survived
I cannot believe a mother and her child survived this together, I am absolutely shocked to my core. As a mother myself, I couldn’t even try to imagine the absolute horror of knowing you’re about to crash in an airplane with your child right beside you, I wonder what all was said between loved ones on the plane in their final moments…it’s beyond tragic, I just cannot believe anyone survived this, let alone a mother and her 8 year old child! If that isn’t a miracle then idk what is!
Way more could of survive smh the USA was there as soon as it crashed but got turned around the next help came the next damn day
@@alphagodvon It's their country, not ours.
Indeed a miracle sweetie....
Yap too bad the mother and the baby in titanic didn't survived🥺
For u to say u wonder what was the last words of ppl who died u are sick and heartless u need love
This is so sad that there were so many willing to help and help for some came too late. To have to live in fear through that nightmare to end up not going quickly, but have to wait so long for help to arrive for some and then no help came. Who ever decline the U.S. to aid has no heart.
Fantastic effort by flight crew. Strong efforts from flight attendants also. I remember this, and I wish so much they made it.
US Marines: We are now hovering over the crash site ready to help!
Japan: No! We'll take care of it in the morning.
And all because some bloated Japanese politician had to much pride and ego, the poor suffering survivors heard their hopes of rescue fly away as they slowly died from their injuries and exposure to the cold. Shame to those who turn away help because of pride.
You didn't say bloated 😂😂😂😂😂 no man stop killing me like this.
I was so emotional but this comment calmed me.
Captain also ignored help of US air base .. probably due to the same reason..
@@reshmashriyan5042 I agree! But unless we could have somehow flown up to the back of the airplane and stabled the tail then all we could’ve done was watched it crash unfortunately 😢
Tbh, I'm not sure I would've obeyed that command to leave the scene when there was so much suffering below. Court martial be damned. Imagine the nightmares the Marines had not knowing how many they could've saved.
So if the rescuers never made them wait, this accident probably wouldn't have been as worse as Tenerife
Miraculously, they found four survivors: 12-year-old Keiko Kawakami, who as a result of the experience has since become a nurse; off-duty flight attendant Yumi Ochiai, who was in her early 20s; and a mother and daughter, Hiroko Yoshizaki, 34, and Mikiko, 8. All four were seated in the back of the plane, which was less damaged from the impact of the crash.
That's why when I used to go flying quite a few times when I was young the back is always the safest in most cases.
@@bert5209 its equally as dangerous but in some cases it can be safer. but of course everything is unexpected.
The back of the plane might be the safest but airlines place their cheapest seats there because in the event of air turbulence it is the most uncomfortable part of the plane.
@@theodoreteo1408 yes that's true.. i was almost always choosing to sit there not knowing that information because i was scared of flying and wanted to be as close as i could to the cabin crew for comfort hearing them and seeing them smile made me feel a little bit better.. but the turbulence felt pretty strongly there and was scarry for me still better chances to survive there than in the front of the plane or in the middle..
@Brandon C. perhaps recovery is possible for the physical aspect, with due medical help and physiotherapy, etc. The real damage would be the mental trauma caused. Despite potential psychological assistance and therapy, at the end of the day, only you have true control over your mind. And after going through such a tumultuous experience of being in a aircraft that is randomly pitching up and diving down, with no idea of what exactly is happening, then crashing into a mountain, laying there for hours in agony while hoping for rescue, the events racing in their minds while the night passes, I'd be absolutely amazed if the survivors got onto an aircraft ever again.
The narrator is the best..I am addicted with aircrash investigation series
its almost unbelievable for the very few out of 500~ passengers that actually survived being stranded in the wilderness for more than 14 hours
I spent my undergrad years in Japan, and all I can say is that thats typical Japanese behavior. Anything to save face, even refusing help when available. The pilots were the true heroes that tried their best to keep the 747 in the air for so long. The rigidity of the honor culture really needs to change if not more people will suffer.
honor culture isn't that bad, but this isn't "honor" but "PRIDE" they care more about "image", "self-interest" and to show "superiority" than to "highly respect" and "value" human lives.
thank you! not one other comment is writing the truth like you are @tejash ....
I'm a Malaysian Chinese and a lot of Asians are like that, I can confirm. It can be seen mostly ppl older probably born in the 70s or 80s, not much in the younger generations. They put their pride first over everything and that sometimes can be deadly.
Nepali ?? If elaborate some about this behaviour just briefly
@@subodhpokhrel9182 Yes, I’m Nepalese. By said “behavior” I refer the the shame culture that is practiced in Japan. Basically, many people refuse help when needed or seek help from outside because they believe it causes dishonor.
The rescue team arrived 14hrs later. That's crazy. I was expecting the ATC would alert local rescue teams and emergency services following the plane's flight path as it was about to crash any minute so the closest rescue team would be able to reach the plane fast. But they were like "nothing we can do but wait for it to crash and then alert the national rescue service to come pick up the bodies a day later". Such bad organization of the Japanese.
Had it happened in the states it would have definitely been handled differently. Just one more thing the left, liberals wouldn't even think about. We have it so great in this country. Yet, they think it's the worst country inn the world. With Communism, human life has no meaning to the leaders. God Bless the USA. Thank you veterans!🇺🇸
@@kmed3526 Let's not forget that the actual cause of the accident was because of a faulty repair conducted and signed off by Boeing, an American company. It's always easy to point the finger in hindsight. Why do you bring communism into the discussion?
@@kmed3526 Amen brother. People of the US should be proud of their country. No man would be left behind in a situation like this. I can guarantee you that.
The U.S. Air Force immediately offered assistance and could have been at the crash site very quickly. The Japanese government refused to allow them to help. It was proven that more people had initially survived but died waiting for rescue.
@@kmed3526 Way to bring an international tragedy into American politics, for no reason at all. Librerals/Republicans/Communists/Facists, all are people. If you think you are much different than the others in your country, who simply have different political beliefs, you are a victim of propaganda. America, and the world, is stronger united together.
Wow! I am amazed that an 12 year girl and 8 year girl survived. God bless them I hope they are good now.
Horrible, Horrible, terrifying those beautiful souls went thru that the pilots tried everything and anything to save that . RIP TO EVERYONE LOST and blessings to survivors or anyone associated with this Tragedy.
Love how the rescuers RAN up to the wreckage when they arrived... Where was that hustle 14 hours earlier??
Seriously
You do realize that's a reenactment right?
@@justadudeffs but that is what happened in the news. Actual rescue arrived many HOURS later. If they let the Americans help, they could’ve saved more lives. 🥴
@@justadudeffs You know this is a reenactment from a real life event right?
A rescue heli saw a fire but they did not go check further to the possible wreckage site because it was night time. What a disaster.
@@ThatGirlLib they arrived 14 hours later
The fact that one of the best trained military units in the world (the US Marines) were ready and chomping at the bit to go and begin a rescue mission, then told to return to base, kills me. They could have saved so many lives if "competition" were not an issue. Disgusting.
Exactly
Saving face has always been an important part of the Japanese culture. It’s not just Japan though. Russia let a whole submarine full of sailors suffocate at the bottom of the sea all the while refusing U.S. help. It’s not like their sub was super secret cutting-edge technology that they had to protect either. So much suspicion among nations even to this day.
@@prevost8686 they didnt let anyone suffocate. People died immediately.
@@inner0i the terrain can be worked around, no excuses when they were equipped for it.
How is the US not a Japanese ally? WWII was quite a while ago and we’ve been close allies since. How is accepting help from close allies dishonorable/something which causes a loss of face?
Imagine if the rescuers in turkeys earthquake just decided to stop looking after a day because they "didn't expect any survivors", how many more people would have died.
Let's not forget that it was an American Company that was responsible for the defect that caused this crash to happen in the first place.
520 people were killed by Boeing.
Apparently the flight simulation for this is like impossible. Nobody could last in the air as long as they did in simulations with the same conditions. They were absolutely incredible pilots. Currently I don’t think anyone has ever managed to land the plane in a simulation.
New title: Laziest Rescuers in History
why cant you mention the global conspiracy theory called covid??? anyone who can think for themselves and not allow the box in your living room which is the real virus to sway your thinking will know that this is a global SCAM!!!
@@seanthompson258 phax
@sweet mint It's a bot. Too many of those floating around.
Not really a matter of laziness. A lot of it had to do with the complexities of the terrain, and even some pants-on-head diplomatic conflict, if you could even believe it...
and: Cheapest Maintenance Dudes in History
The fact that we get free documentaries on RUclips by Wonder is truly a gift 👍