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Survivors of Azerbaijani Plane Crash Recount Terrifying Moments Before Tragedy. The Decision to Divert to Aktau Cost Many Their Lives
Following the tragic plane crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 in Kazakhstan, survivors have shared chilling accounts of the moments leading up to the disaster. Two passengers and one crew member reported hearing at least one loud bang as the aircraft neared its original destination of Grozny in southern Russia.
The flight, which was en route to Grozny, crashed in a fiery ball near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from its planned route. The plane had been rerouted due to poor weather conditions, and it crashed on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least 38 people, with 29 survivors.
One survivor recalled the terrifying moment after hearing a bang, stating, “I thought the plane was going to fall apart. It was clear that something had gone terribly wrong.” The passenger described the aircraft as feeling “drunk,” suggesting it was no longer functioning properly. Another survivor shared that a flight attendant instructed them to move to the back of the plane as the situation escalated.
Both passengers reported an issue with the oxygen levels in the cabin following the bang, further heightening their fear.
Flight attendant Zulfugar Asadov revealed that the plane was unable to land in Grozny due to heavy fog, prompting the pilot to circle the area. During this time, he heard multiple bangs outside the aircraft. “The pilot had just lifted the plane when I heard a bang from the left wing. There were three bangs,” Asadov said. He also described a sensation of something striking his left arm as the cabin lost pressure.
Amid the horror of the crash, the survivors’ accounts provide crucial insight into what might have caused the disaster. Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to Russian cities, suggesting that the crash may have been the result of “physical and technical external interference.” However, the airline has not disclosed the specifics of this interference.
Four sources familiar with the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan’s investigation stated that Russian air defences may have mistakenly shot down the plane. Russia, however, has urged caution, emphasizing the importance of waiting for the official investigation to conclude before drawing conclusions.
Crash Landing
The Embraer passenger jet, which had departed from Baku, Azerbaijan, en route to Grozny in Russia’s southern Chechnya region, suddenly veered hundreds of miles off course across the Caspian Sea.
Flight attendant Zulfugar Asadov recalled that the captain was advised to attempt an emergency sea landing. However, he made the critical decision to head for Aktau in Kazakhstan, opting to attempt a land-based landing instead. “He warned us that it would be a hard landing and instructed us to prepare the passengers,” Asadov said.
The plane ultimately crashed on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea, with Russia’s aviation watchdog speculating that the emergency may have been triggered by a bird strike. Passengers filmed footage before the crash, capturing the chaos as oxygen masks deployed and passengers donned life vests. Later footage showed bloodied and bruised survivors emerging from the wreckage.
Rakhimov, one of the survivors, described the moments following the crash: “After the turmoil, there was silence, and then we began to hear the moaning of the injured.”
This incident brings to mind previous aviation disasters caused by military actions.
- In 2020, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, killing all 176 people on board.
- In 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was brought down by a Russian BUK missile over eastern Ukraine, claiming 298 lives.
- And in 1983, the Soviet Union shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after it veered off course into prohibited airspace.
- Even the U.S. warship Vincennes shot down an Iran Air flight in 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War, killing all 290 people on board.
Drone War and Civil Aviation Risks
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane encountered trouble near Grozny, more than 850 kilometers (530 miles) from the Ukrainian front lines.
However, this area has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drones striking deep within Russian territory. Russia has deployed advanced electronic jamming equipment to disrupt drone communications and location systems, alongside a large network of air defence systems to intercept and shoot down drones.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, airlines have been forced to reroute flights around Ukraine, and Russia has closed several major airports in its southwestern region.
“We’re in a conflict zone, and that’s not going to change,” said Andrew Nicholson, CEO of Osprey Flight Solutions. “Placing civilian aircraft in such airspace significantly increases the risks, particularly when drone attacks and air defence activity are ongoing, as in this case.”
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, confirmed that the plane was rerouted from its original destination in Chechnya due to dense fog and a local alert about Ukrainian drone activity. While alternative landing airports were suggested to the captain, he opted for Aktau in Kazakhstan. Rosaviatsia has pledged to support both Kazakh and Azerbaijani investigations into the plane crash.
Regarding reports that Russian air defences may have mistakenly shot down the plane, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from commenting, stating that no assessments would be made until the official investigation is complete.