Strong winds force multiple planes to abort landings at Tokyo's Narita airport

Strong winds at Tokyo's Narita airport on Tuesday forced multiple passenger planes to abort landings at the last minute, with footage showing dramatic "go-around" maneuvers.

Gusts of up to 20.1 meters per second (about 72 kilometers per hour) were recorded in Narita city, Chiba prefecture, creating severe crosswinds on the runway. Social media and Japanese media clips showed aircraft swaying violently and pulling up just before touchdown.

At least three passenger planes were seen tilting sharply while descending, with one nearly touching down before the pilot aborted the landing and climbed away.

By 2.15pm, at least 10 domestic and international flights had been diverted to other airports, including Sendai Airport in northeastern Japan and central hubs like Chubu Centrair (Nagoya) and Kansai (Osaka).

One affected flight was Tigerair Taiwan's IT280 from Kaohsiung to Narita, which diverted to Sendai. Its return flight IT281 was delayed.

The strong winds, caused by a low-pressure system, were expected to continue into the evening. Airlines urged passengers to check official websites for updates.