Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan in the early hours of December 25, 2024.
The Embraer 190 aircraft was carrying 67 people on board, of which 62 were passengers and 5 were crew.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations swiftly responded to the crash site, finding at least 25 survivors amidst the wreckage. The exact number of fatalities remains unclear, with early reports suggesting that over 40 individuals may be dead.
However, the number of survivors has been revised several times as rescue operations continued, with at least 28 people confirmed to have survived, some of whom are receiving intensive care in local hospitals.
Of the passengers, 37 were Azerbaijani, 16 were Russian, 6 were Kazakh, and 3 were Kyrgyz citizens.
What caused the tragedy?
The plane was diverted from its destination, Grozny, seeking an emergency landing in Aktau.
After circling the airport multiple times, the plane requested an emergency landing but crashed approximately 3 kilometers from Aktau, igniting into flames upon impact.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, with preliminary information suggesting a possible bird strike as one of the factors leading to the emergency landing attempt. Authorities in Kazakhstan have begun exploring various scenarios, including technical malfunctions.
Azerbaijan Airlines issued a statement expressing deep sorrow for the incident and committed to updating the public as more information becomes available.