Azerbaijan airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan, 38 dead with 29 survivors

December 26, 2024

By Ayinde Adeleke

A devastating plane crash occurred in southwestern Kazakhstan on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 38 people on board.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was carrying 67 people from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya when it made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers from Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev reported that 29 survivors, including two children, were rescued from the wreckage, with 11 of them in critical condition.

“The bodies are in poor condition, mostly burnt, all collected,” Bozumbayev said. “Now they will be in the morgue, and identification will take place.”

One survivor’s identity remains unknown, according to Bozumbayev. “She is unconscious, has no documents, and is in the hospital,” he added.

The plane’s black box has been located, and the Kazakhstan Government has established a commission to investigate the cause of the crash and assist passengers’ families.

The Government will cooperate with Azerbaijan on the investigation.

Witnesses described the harrowing scene, with one woman, Elmira, recounting her experience to Radio Free Europe’s Kazakh Service.

“The front part of the plane was on fire. We rescued the survivors. Their bodies were covered in blood. They were crying. Everyone was asking for help.”

Elmira also shared the heartbreaking story of a little girl who emerged from the wreckage, begging for help to save her mother. “A little girl came out. She looked at me and said, ‘Save my mom, my mom is still there. She was crying and begging, ‘Please save her, save her.”

The crash is under investigation, with preliminary information suggesting that the pilot made an emergency landing after a bird strike. However, officials have not ruled out other possible causes, including drone activity in the area.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has cut short his trip to Russia and declared a day of national mourning for December 26.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences and offered assistance, saying, “Let’s hope for a speedy recovery of the injured ones and, of course, I am sure, a thorough investigation will be carried out.”