Wed Dec 25 19:11:54 UTC 2024: ## Dozens Dead in Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash in Kazakhstan
**Aktau, Kazakhstan –** A passenger plane carrying 69 people crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, resulting in at least 38 fatalities, Kazakh authorities confirmed. Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, was diverted due to foggy conditions and attempted an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers from Aktau. The aircraft caught fire upon impact.
Unverified reports suggest a possible bird strike may have contributed to the crash, a claim that is currently under investigation by both Azerbaijani and Kazakh authorities. The Embraer-manufactured plane, which boasts a strong safety record according to the manufacturer, is the subject of a thorough investigation. Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights between Baku and Grozny/Makhachkala pending the results.
The passengers primarily comprised Azerbaijani nationals, with a smaller number of Russian, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz citizens also on board. Heartbreaking accounts emerged from family members desperately searching for loved ones. One daughter described her frantic efforts to locate her father after her surviving brother contacted her from the crash site. Another family is still searching for a mother who was travelling with medical tests for her sick child.
Survivors, some with visible injuries, were seen escaping the wreckage in unverified video footage. The incident has prompted investigations by both countries involved, with Embraer offering its full cooperation. The impact of this tragedy is deeply felt, with many families grappling with loss and uncertainty in the wake of this devastating air disaster.
First Piper 