Heartbreaking news: an Azerbaijani airliner met a devastating fate on this Christmas Day. The Embraer 190, carrying 67 people, crashed near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, sadly, over 30 lives may have been lost in this horrific incident. However, officials confirmed at least 32 survivors.
The flight was on its way from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, a city steeped in history in Russia’s North Caucasus. Preliminary reports indicate that the pilots faced a dire emergency after a bird strike forced them to divert to Aktau. Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti relayed information from Rosaviatsia, the civil aviation authority, shedding.
Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry shared the heartbreaking news via a Telegram statement, noting that among the passengers were five crew members. Medical personnel have already reported the recovery of four bodies, and it’s been confirmed that both pilots lost their lives in the tragedy.
The plane went down just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from its intended landing at Aktau airport, as stated by Azerbaijan Airlines. The Prosecutor General’s Office has cautioned that the count of 32 survivors is not final, with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry highlighting that some are in critical condition. The reality is sinking in: the death toll could be staggering.
The passenger list was a mix of nationalities, with 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three from Kyrgyzstan aboard. As the news broke, mobile footage began to circulate online, showing the aircraft’s grim descent before it erupted in a fireball upon impact. Other clips depicted the wreckage, with part of the fuselage torn away and the plane lying upside down in the grass. The imagery was a stark reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded.
Witnesses, taking to social media, shared videos of survivors bravely dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage, a testament to the human spirit in the face of catastrophe. Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com revealed the aircraft’s erratic movements in its final moments, as it attempted a figure-eight maneuver before colliding with the ground.
In a news conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the nation, emphasizing that it was too early to draw conclusions about the cause of the crash. He noted the weather played a pivotal role in altering the plane’s course. “The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he stated, his voice heavy with the weight of the tragedy.
In response to the heartbreaking incident, Azerbaijan Airlines affirmed its commitment to keeping the public informed.
