Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan claims 38 lives
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane, flight number J2-8243, on Thursday crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 38 lives.
The aircraft was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Chechnya when it encountered severe weather conditions and made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.
Details of the flight and passengers
The Embraer 190 aircraft was carrying a total of 67 individuals, including 62 passengers and five crew members. Among those on board were citizens from four different countries:
42 Azerbaijani
16 Russian
6 Kazakh
3 Kyrgyz
Of these passengers, there were 32 survivors who were rescued from the wreckage. Many of these survivors sustained critical injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Cause of crash
The crash was reportedly precipitated by an “emergency situation” onboard due to a bird strike. The aircraft had initially been diverted from its intended destination in Grozny because of heavy fog conditions. As a result, the pilots attempted to land at Aktau airport instead.
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Preliminary reports indicated that while navigating towards Aktau, the plane circled near the airport before ultimately crashing during its landing approach. Compounding these challenges was strong GPS jamming in the region that has been linked to previous aviation incidents, which may have further complicated navigation efforts.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev confirmed that both pilots perished in the crash according to initial assessments. Eyewitness accounts described chaotic scenes as survivors emerged from the burning wreckage.
Emergency response
PHOTO: Reuters
Following the crash, emergency services quickly mobilized to extinguish fires caused by the impact and assist survivors. A significant rescue operation involved over 150 emergency workers and medical teams dispatched to treat those injured.
In terms of investigations into the cause of this tragedy, authorities from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia are collaborating closely. An investigative team led by Azerbaijan’s deputy prosecutor general has been sent to Kazakhstan to conduct an on-site investigation. They have located the aircraft’s black box—an essential tool for determining what went wrong during flight.
Azerbaijan Airlines announced a suspension of all flights between Baku and Grozny as well as Baku and Makhachkala until further notice while investigations continue.
This incident raises numerous questions regarding aviation safety protocols in adverse weather conditions and potential navigational challenges posed by regional factors such as GPS interference.
