© Kyodo / Reuters Firefighters spray foam at the engine of a Korean Air Lines plane after smoke rose from it at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan, May 27, 2016
Social media has been flooded with photos and videos showing the plane being sprayed with foam by fire trucks and crowds of passengers gathered next to the runway.
The incident took place as Flight 2708 was preparing to head to Seoul. At least two fire trucks arrived to battle the flames, Japanese television reported. It also showed emergency chutes and the plane surrounded by white foam.
All 302 passengers and 17 crew members were safely evacuated from the jet.
According to Kyosuke Okada, a government official assigned to Haneda, the cause of the incident is as yet unknown.
The authorities had to temporarily halt flights at Haneda Airport, which is the fifth busiest in the world. In 2015, it served over 75 million passengers.
Comment: Some other aircraft related incidents in recent times include: Planes suddenly 'disappearing' from radar, sometimes in "unprecedented" blackouts; more planes diverting due to "electrical burning and smoke smells", dramatic evacuations following 'catastrophic' engine failure, "engine fires" and plane wings "bursting into flames".