25th December 2024 – (Aktau) An Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane, operating flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, has crashed near Aktau airport in Kazakhstan, according to reports from Russian news agencies citing the country’s Emergencies Ministry. The Embraer 190 aircraft was forced to divert to Aktau due to fog conditions in Grozny when it encountered difficulties.
Prior to the crash, the plane reportedly issued an “SOS” signal over the Caspian Sea and made several circles above the airport. Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident may have been caused by a collision with a flock of birds.
There were 67 passengers and 5 crew members on board at the time of the incident. The aircraft attempted an emergency landing approximately 3 km from the city of Aktau but ultimately failed to reach the runway safely.
Azerbaijan Airlines has confirmed the incident and stated that further information will be released as the situation develops. Meanwhile, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergencies, 25 individuals aboard the AZAL passenger plane that crashed near Aktau are alive. Out of the 72 people on board, these 25 were rescued and transported to the hospital, where their condition is reported to be serious.
