An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, claiming 38 lives and leaving 29 survivors hospitalized. The crash occurred after the plane diverted from its scheduled route between Azerbaijan and Grozny, Russia, crossing the Caspian Sea before descending rapidly and bursting into flames near the shoreline.
The flight, J2-8243, was reportedly forced to reroute due to an emergency situation that may have been caused by a bird strike, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog. However, aviation experts, including Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory, questioned this explanation, noting that bird strikes typically result in landings at the nearest airfield rather than significant deviations from the flight path.
Video footage of the crash, verified by Reuters, showed the aircraft crashing into the seashore and erupting in flames. Emergency responders extinguished the fire and transported survivors, including two children, to a nearby hospital. Efforts to recover the bodies of the deceased are ongoing.
Kazakhstan’s transport prosecutor, Timur Suleimenov, confirmed the recovery of the plane’s black box, which will aid in determining the cause of the crash. Preliminary flight tracking data indicated the plane had veered off its course along the west coast of the Caspian Sea before disappearing and later reappearing near Aktau, where it circled before crashing.
Officials have not clarified why the plane diverted across the sea. However, the crash follows reports of Ukrainian drone strikes in southern Russia’s Chechnya region earlier this month. These strikes led to temporary closures of several Russian airports, including Makhachkala, the nearest airport on the flight’s original route.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev expressed his condolences, describing the tragedy as a “tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people.” He stated that while poor weather might have influenced the flight’s deviation, the crash’s cause remains under investigation. Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights from Baku to Chechnya until the probe is complete.
Kazakhstan’s government has formed a commission to investigate the incident and provide support to the victims’ families. Both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan pledged cooperation in the investigation. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, extended condolences. Kadyrov noted that some injured passengers remain in critical condition.
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, the maker of the crashed jet, also expressed its sympathies and pledged support for the investigation.