New Delhi:
A passenger plane going from Kazakhstan to Russia crashed near the airport in Aktau city on Wednesday. During this time, a passenger inside the plane made a video of the situation in the cabin. This painful video of the accident is being shared widely on social media, in which the last moments of the crashed plane can be seen. Thirty-eight people were killed in the accident near the city of Aktau, an oil and gas center on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea.
In the video, a passenger can be heard saying “Allahu Akbar” repeatedly. During this time the plane is descending rapidly. Yellow oxygen masks are seen hanging on the seats. While the ‘wear your seat belt’ light, a faint doorbell-like sound, sounds of screaming can be heard.
Photo Credit: AP PTI
The plane was flying from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, located on the western coast of the Caspian, to the city of Grozny in Chechnya in southern Russia. Azerbaijan Airlines said the plane made an emergency landing about 3 km from Aktau.
In another video taken inside the cabin, the plane’s roof panel, which has reading lights and an air blower, is seen upside down, and people are also seen shouting for help. This video is clearly from after the plane crashed.
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. pic.twitter.com/nCRozjdoUY
— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 25, 2024
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has announced national mourning on Thursday in honor of the person who died in the accident of Embraer 190 passenger plane going from the capital Baku to Gronji in Russia. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday signed an official order to observe a day of mourning after the tragedy.
Aliyev received news of the crash while he was in Russian airspace en route to St. Petersburg. He was going there for a summit. On receiving information about the accident, he ordered his plane to return to the country.
Flight number J2-8243 crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) has reported 28 survivors. The rescue operation is going on.
According to the report of Xinhua news agency, Azerbaijan Airlines told X, there were 67 people on board the plane, including 62 passengers and five crew members. Kazakh media said the passengers on board the plane included 37 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 of Russia, six of Kazakhstan and three of Kyrgyzstan.
The primary cause of the tragedy is said to be the collision of a bird with the plane. MES dispatched 52 personnel and 11 units of equipment to the spot where the aircraft was on fire. The Embraer 190 aircraft has a capacity of 96 to 114 passengers, varying depending on cabin configuration. The plane can fly up to 4,500 km.
According to FlightAware, the plane took off from Baku 11 minutes ahead of schedule. It issued an emergency signal while flying over the Caspian Sea.
Azerbaijani media reported that the plane was not allowed to land in Grozny due to fog. For this reason it was diverted to Makhachkala and later to Aktau.
Online flight tracking apps showed the plane flying over the Caspian Sea and heading towards its destination in Chechnya. As soon as the plane entered Russia’s territorial limits, it started circling near the airport. After this he requested for an emergency landing.
The plane crashed a few kilometers from the airport at 6.28 am local time.
