A spine-chilling video of the doomed aircraft J2-8243 of Azerbaijan airlines has been widely shared across social media, the clip captures the harrowing moments before and after the plane crashed 3 Km away from Aktau airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Of all the 67 people on board, 38 were killed in the crash. The Embraer 190 aircraft took off from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku and was bound to reach Grozny in Chechnya in southern Russia.
In the footage, a passenger is heard saying ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is great) repeatedly, their voice breaking through the chaos. Yellow oxygen masks dangle over the seats as cries and screams fill the cabin, overpowered by the unsettling chime of the ‘wear seatbelt’ light.
According to Kazakh officials, the passengers aboard the ill-fated aircraft included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals.
The final moments of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane before its crash in Kazakhstan were captured by a passenger onboard.
Aftermath also included in the footage.
— Clash Report (@clashreport)
Subkhonkul Rakhimov, a survivor of the crash, described his harrowing experience to Reuters. He recalled, “An explosion was heard.” Rakhimov explained, “The plane suddenly rose rapidly and began to increase its altitude when it was about to land in Grozny. There was heavy fog at the time, and the crew tried to land the plane in Grozny three times, but all failed. An explosion occurred during the third attempt to land.”
Russia’s aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, stated that initial findings indicate the pilots opted for an emergency landing following a bird strike.
At a news conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev urged caution against early speculation, highlighting that weather conditions had forced the aircraft to deviate from its planned route. “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 said.
Azerbaijan’s state news agency, Azertac, reported that a delegation, including the emergency situations minister, deputy general prosecutor, and the vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines, was sent to Aktau for an “on-site investigation.”
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was en route to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan upon hearing the news of the crash. He was scheduled to attend an informal meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in St. Petersburg. In a statement on social media, Aliyev expressed his condolences, saying, “It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured.” He also declared Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also offered his condolences during a phone call with Aliyev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.
(With agency inputs)
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