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| Japan's ANA grounds Dreamliners after emergency landing | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| All Nippon Airways has grounded its fleet of 17 Boeing 787 aircraft after one was forced to make an emergency landing because of battery problems. | |
| Flight number NH 692 was scheduled to fly from Yamaguchi Ube to Tokyo's Haneda, but was forced to land at Takamatsu, in western Japan. | |
| All 137 passengers and crew were safely evacuated, using emergency chutes. | |
| Dreamliners have recently had a number of problems, including a cracked cockpit window and an electrical fire. | |
| As a result, Japanese and US authorities have launched investigations into the aircraft. | |
| Closer look | |
| Last week, the US Federal Aviation Administration started a broad review of the design, manufacturing and assembly of the Dreamliner. | |
| On Tuesday, Japanese authorities said they would conduct a probe after two successive fuel leaks on a different 787 operated by Japan Airlines. | On Tuesday, Japanese authorities said they would conduct a probe after two successive fuel leaks on a different 787 operated by Japan Airlines. |
| On 8 January, Japan Airlines reported that a fire broke out on a 787 shortly after it landed in Boston. | |
| There have also been reports of brake issues. | |
| "It is not abnormal for new aircraft to have some teething problems," said Chris de Lavigne of Frost and Sullivan in Singapore. | |
| "There were initial issues with the Airbus A380 as well. Look where it is today; it is flying successfully and everyone seems to be happy with it." | |
| However, he added that a lot would depend on the outcome of the two investigations. | |
| "If it turns out to be a major issue and requires re-engineering to be done, then you may need to ground some of the planes or even the entire fleet." | |
| Battery malfunction | Battery malfunction |
| On Wednesday, flight NH 692 left Yamaguchi Ube in western Japan at 08:10 local time (23:10 GMT) and was forced to land at 08:47 at Takamatsu airport. | |
| ANA said that there was an error message in the cockpit citing a battery malfunction. | ANA said that there was an error message in the cockpit citing a battery malfunction. |
| However, it would not confirm or deny reports that there was smoke in the cockpit or in the cabin. | However, it would not confirm or deny reports that there was smoke in the cockpit or in the cabin. |
| The BBC's correspondent in Tokyo, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, said that local television footage showed emergency chutes were deployed from the plane. | The BBC's correspondent in Tokyo, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, said that local television footage showed emergency chutes were deployed from the plane. |
| ANA said that fire trucks were on the runway as the plane landed. | ANA said that fire trucks were on the runway as the plane landed. |
| Paul Lewis, a spokesman for Boeing, told the BBC that the planemaker was "aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ANA to Takamatsu in western Japan". | Paul Lewis, a spokesman for Boeing, told the BBC that the planemaker was "aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ANA to Takamatsu in western Japan". |
| He added that Boeing "will be working with our customer and the appropriate regulatory agencies". | He added that Boeing "will be working with our customer and the appropriate regulatory agencies". |