- Emergency Landing Ends in Tragedy for Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243
- Survivors Include Two Children as Nations Unite in Mourning
In a tragic Christmas Day incident, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, claiming 38 lives and leaving 29 injured, officials confirmed. The ill-fated flight, carrying 67 passengers and crew, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia’s Chechen Republic.
According to Kazakh authorities, the aircraft attempted an emergency landing approximately three kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau’s airport but failed to reach the runway. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev described the harrowing aftermath, revealing that several bodies were severely burnt and are awaiting identification in a local morgue.
Rescue operations recovered 29 survivors, including two children, but 11 are reported to be in critical condition. Among the survivors is an unconscious woman without identification, currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, expressed condolences to the victims’ families. President Aliyev declared December 26 a national day of mourning in Azerbaijan, stating, “I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of those injured.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also offered his sympathies during a phone conversation with Aliyev. The Russian Emergency Ministry has dispatched a team of medical personnel and specialized equipment to assist with the response.
The passenger manifest revealed a diverse group on board, including 42 Azerbaijani nationals, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz citizens. Initial reports suggested 32 survivors, but the number was revised to 29 following further investigation.
Authorities from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia are collaborating to determine the cause of the crash. Embraer, the Brazilian manufacturer of the Embraer 190 aircraft, has pledged full cooperation with the investigation.
This disaster marks a somber end to the year, with communities in multiple nations united in grief as they await answers about the tragic sequence of events.
