On 25th December, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, during an attempted emergency landing amid fog.
The aircraft with registration 4K-AZ65 was operating flight J2-8243, from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, with 67 people on board, including five crew members, as teported by Aero World. The E190 departed Baku International Airport (GYD) at 03:55 UTC and was originally scheduled to land at Grozny Airport (GRV).
Due to the adverse weather, the aircraft initially diverted to Makhachkala and later to Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan, according to Grozny Airport’s press office. The crew attempted an emergency landing on Aktau’s runway 11 but crashed off the runway during its final approach and caught fire.
Casualties and Survivors
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that 32 individuals survived the crash, with majority of them hospitalized. Tragically, 35 others reportedly died in the crash, according to Associated Press reports citing local authorities.
Flightradar24 ADS-B data indicated normal operations until 04:25 UTC. At approximately 06:07 UTC, the flight over the Caspian Sea declared an emergency, squawking 7700. Altitude and speed fluctuations were observed as the aircraft approached Aktau Airport, with the crew reporting control issues, stated Kazaeronavigatsiya, Kazakhstan’s air navigation authority.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a collision with a flock of birds might have contributed to the crash, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Crash Scene, Rescue Operations
The E-jet crashed approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau Airport. Videos from the scene showed the aircraft colliding with terrain at a low right-wing angle, nose-first. The plane broke apart upon impact, and a fire engulfed the main cabin area.
Post-crash photos revealed the tail section lying upside down, separated from the main wreckage and relatively intact.
Kazakhstan’s emergency ministry deployed 52 personnel and 11 units of equipment to the crash site. Officials stated that fire services extinguished the blaze and survivors were being treated at a nearby hospital.
Authorities in Kazakhstan have launched an investigation into the crash, considering technical failures and other potential causes. Initial findings indicate that the aircraft might have encountered bird strikes, which could have led to the issues reported by the crew.
Azerbaijan Airlines, in a statement, confirmed the incident and the diversion due to poor weather conditions in Grozny. Local and international aviation authorities have expressed their condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.
Passengers and Crew Members Onboard
Azerbaijan Airlines has released the full passenger and crew manifest for flight J2-8243 on the Baku-Grozny route.
The passenger list reveals that the majority were Azerbaijani nationals, totaling 37 individuals, followed by 16 Russian nationals. Additionally, there were 6 Kazakh and 3 Kyrgyz citizens on board.
The crew consisted of five members: Igor Kshnyakin, Aleksandr Kalyaninov, Hokuma Aliyeva, Zulfugar Asadov, and Aydan Rahimli.