Kazakhstan plane crash: Fog and technical issues lead to tragedy
On Christmas Day in Kazakhstan, a tragedy claimed the lives of 38 people when an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, flight number 8243, crashed during an emergency landing near the city of Aktau. Despite the quick response of rescue services, the severe consequences of the accident were unavoidable.
The plane had taken off from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and was headed to an airport in Chechnya. Deteriorating weather conditions, notably dense fog, made it impossible to land in Grozny, forcing the pilot to attempt a landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The captain began descending but had to abort the landing and circle around due to poor visibility, hoping the fog would clear. However, the second and third landing attempts also failed. The pilot decided to head to the nearest airport — recounted on board steward Zulfugar Asadov.
Unfortunately, during the landing approach, the plane encountered technical problems and a tragic accident ensued.
The last moments of stewardess Hokuma Aliyeva
One of the victims was 33-year-old Hokuma Aliyeva, a stewardess who cared for the safety and reassurance of passengers until the very end. A recording of her dramatic last words, intended to calm travelers, was shared online.
Fasten your seat belts. Dear passengers, please follow the instructions. Act accordingly, everything will be fine. Sit down and fasten your seat belt. Do not stand in the aisle, it is dangerous — she said.
Her last words, recorded by a passenger, were: "Everything will be fine."
Account of a surviving crew member
Zulfugar Asadov, one of the surviving stewards, shared his account of the intense moments on board and the heroic actions of the crew.
We heard a strange noise from outside. We tried to calm the passengers, asking them to stay in their seats and fasten their seatbelts.
Asadov explained that the impact caused a tear in the aircraft fuselage.
When the front landing gear touched the ground, the plane broke into two pieces, and the front cockpit was torn off.
Despite sustaining a serious arm injury, Asadov continued his efforts until rescuers arrived on the scene.
Unknown causes of the crash
The investigation into the causes of the crash is ongoing. So far, no clear reason for the tragedy has been identified, although Russian defense systems fired at a drone near Grozny during the plane's flight. The Kremlin denies any connection between the missiles and the accident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an apology to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Vladimir Putin offered his apologies that the tragic incident took place in the Russian airspace, the Kremlin stated.
