On December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, an Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, during an attempted emergency landing.
The flight, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members, was enroute from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it diverted to Aktau due to adverse weather conditions.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the aircraft attempted to land on Aktau Airport’s Runway 11 but struck the ground approximately 1.8 miles short of the runway.
The impact caused the plane to burst into flames.
Initial rescue efforts successfully saved 27 individuals, including two children, who were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
It appears that 40 people had perished in the crash.
Those onboard included 37 Azerbaijani, 16 Russian, six Kazakh, and three Kyrgyz citizens.
Footage from the crash site showed thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage and injured survivors emerging from a section of the fuselage that remained intact.
Early reports suggest that a bird strike may have prompted the pilot’s decision to attempt the emergency landing.
The flight had reportedly experienced strong GPS jamming and spoofing, which disrupted its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data transmissions during its journey.
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan also extended their sympathies to the victims’ families.
