38 Confirmed Dead in Russian Plane Crash

An Embraer passenger jet carrying passengers from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, resulting in 38 fatalities and 29 injuries. Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, which had deviated significantly from its planned route, crashed near the city of Aktau on the Caspian Sea’s opposite shore.

Russia’s aviation watchdog attributed the crash to a potential bird strike, but an aviation expert questioned this assessment.

The cause of the plane’s deviation from its intended flight path is still unclear. The crash occurred shortly after drone strikes targeted southern Russia, where recent drone activity led to airport closures; notably, the nearest airport on the plane’s route was closed on the morning of the crash.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev reported that the plane changed course due to poor weather but stressed that the cause of the crash must be thoroughly investigated. He called it “a great tragedy” for the Azerbaijani people.

Video footage showed the plane descending rapidly and bursting into flames upon hitting the seashore, with survivors seen escaping from part of the intact fuselage. A total of sixty-two passengers and five crew members were on board.

Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev confirmed the death toll during a meeting with an Azerbaijani delegation in Aktau. Kazakhstan’s emergencies ministry stated that the blaze was extinguished, and survivors, including two children, were treated at a nearby hospital while bodies were recovered.

Azerbaijan Airlines explained that the Embraer 190 jet was en route from Baku to Grozny but had to make an emergency landing about 1.8 miles from Aktau. Preliminary reports indicated a bird strike led to the emergency landing, although industry analysts noted that such incidents typically don’t cause significant course deviations.

As a response, Azerbaijan Airlines suspended all flights from Baku to the Chechnya region until the investigation concluded. Kazakhstan established a government commission to investigate the incident and assured support to the families affected.

President Vladimir Putin and Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov expressed their condolences, with the latter noting that some injured passengers were in critical condition.

Embraer also issued a statement offering condolences and commitment to support the investigation efforts.