Harare – A devastating air crash on Christmas Day claimed the lives of 38 people, leaving a community in mourning and prompting investigations into the cause of the tragedy.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, carrying 67 people, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau after a reported emergency landing attempt. The incident has sparked widespread grief and prompted intense scrutiny of aviation safety protocols.
The flight, originating from Baku, Azerbaijan, and destined for Grozny, Russia, encountered unforeseen circumstances. Due to heavy fog, the pilot was forced to divert the Embraer 190 aircraft, ultimately attempting an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from Aktau.
The ensuing crash resulted in a catastrophic fire, leaving the aircraft extensively damaged. While 29 passengers survived, many suffered serious injuries. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev reported that 11 survivors were in critical condition.
Horrific video footage, verified by Reuters and circulating widely on social media, captures the harrowing final moments. The video shows the plane descending rapidly, landing gear deployed, before bursting into a massive fireball. Another video, which has gone viral, offers a chilling glimpse into the cabin during the descent. A passenger can be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) amidst the sounds of screaming and crying as oxygen masks dangle from the overhead compartments.
The final moments of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane before its crash in Kazakhstan were captured by a passenger onboard.
Aftermath also included in the footage. pic.twitter.com/nCRozjdoUY
— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 25, 2024
The aircraft, an Embraer E190 manufactured by the Brazilian company Embraer – a smaller rival to Boeing and Airbus with a traditionally strong safety record – was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. Those on board comprised mostly Azerbaijani nationals, but also included passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Among the victims was a woman travelling to Chechnya to spend the holidays with her children, and a mother who was carrying medical tests for her sick child remains missing.
The impact of the tragedy extends beyond the immediate loss of life. A young woman, speaking to the BBC’s Azerbaijani service, described her desperate search for information about her father, who was on the flight. She explained that her father had been travelling with his son, who survived the crash and managed to contact her, but there was still no news of their father’s fate. This personal account underscores the profound human cost of the accident.
Both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have launched independent investigations into the incident. Embraer has publicly stated its willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities. The black box flight recorder has been recovered, and its analysis is expected to provide crucial insights into the sequence of events leading to the crash.
Initial reports suggested a possible bird strike as the cause of the emergency landing. Russia’s aviation watchdog initially stated on Telegram, “Preliminary: after a collision with birds, due to an emergency on board, its commander decided to ‘go’ to an alternate airfield – Aktau was chosen.” However, Azerbaijan Airlines later retracted this statement, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation and stating, “We cannot disclose any investigation results at this time.”
The incident has also given rise to speculation, with some unverified reports suggesting a possible collision with a flock of birds. Other unsubstantiated theories, circulating on social media, have suggested alternative causes, including the possibility of the aircraft being mistaken for a Ukrainian drone and shot down by Russian air defences. However, these claims remain unverified and lack credible evidence.
Azerbaijan declared Thursday a national day of mourning in response to the tragedy, and President Ilham Aliyev cancelled a planned visit to Russia. The investigation is ongoing, and the world awaits the findings that will hopefully shed light on the circumstances surrounding this devastating air crash.
