Azerbaijani Airliner Crashes in Kazakhstan, 38 Dead and 29 Survivors

An Azerbaijani airliner crashed near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau on Wednesday, December 25, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, according to Kazakh officials.

The Embraer 190, carrying 67 people, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia when it was diverted due to adverse weather and attempted an emergency landing near Aktau.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev confirmed the casualty figures following a meeting with Azerbaijani officials. Azerbaijan Airlines reported that the flight was forced off course due to worsening weather conditions and changed direction toward Aktau. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at a news conference, refrained from speculating on the cause of the crash but acknowledged the plane’s diversion. “The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he stated.

Early reports suggest a bird strike might have contributed to the emergency. Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, indicated that the pilots diverted to Aktau after the bird strike led to an on-board emergency. The passengers aboard included 42 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals.

Dramatic mobile phone footage shared on social media appeared to show the aircraft descending rapidly before crashing in a fireball. Further images showed the plane’s fuselage torn apart and some survivors dragging fellow passengers from the wreckage. Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 revealed the plane’s erratic altitude fluctuations before the crash, with reports of “strong GPS jamming” in the region. The jamming, suspected to be linked to Russian interference, may have led to faulty flight tracking data.

In response to the tragedy, Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights between Baku and Grozny, as well as Baku and Makhachkala, pending the results of the investigation. The airline updated its social media to express condolences and stated that it would provide regular updates to the public.

Azerbaijan’s government has dispatched an official delegation, including the Minister for Emergency Situations, the Deputy General Prosecutor, and the Vice President of Azerbaijan Airlines, to Aktau to lead the investigation. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who was in Russia at the time, returned home upon hearing the news of the crash. He expressed his condolences on social media, announcing December 26 as a day of national mourning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also extended his condolences to Aliyev, and during the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in St. Petersburg, announced that Russia’s Emergency Ministry had sent medical teams and equipment to Kazakhstan to assist in the aftermath.

Kazakh, Azerbaijani, and Russian authorities are jointly investigating the cause of the crash, with Embraer offering its support to the relevant authorities.