How Azerbaijan Airlines pilots saved passengers while sacrificing their own lives
A plane from Baku to Grozny crashed during landing, resulting in 38 fatalities and 29 injured. Survivors reported loud noises and explosions before the crash. Investigations suggest external impacts, potentially from Ukrainian drones, as the aircraft struggled to land amid dense fog.
A view shows last moments of flights of an Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer passenger plane that crashed near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan December 25, 2024 in this screengrab from a video obtained from social media. Azerbaijan, to Grozny, the regional capital of Chechnya, crashed on Wednesday while attempting to land after it veered toward Kazakhstan. The crash resulted in 38 fatalities, with all 29 survivors sustaining injuries.
Survivors, including passengers and crew, reported hearing loud noises on the aircraft while it was circling over Grozny before the crash.
The airline’s president, Samir Rzayev, lauded the pilots’ “heroism” and commitment to saving lives, stating, “While this tragic accident resulted in a great loss for our nation, the crew’s courageous dedication to their duties until the final moments and their focus on preserving human life have made their names immortal in history,” according to a report from the Azerbaijani news agency.
The pilots had accumulated over 15,000 flight hours, and the plane had recently undergone a technical inspecti”
captain said that he was advised to land the plane at sea, but he decided to set a course for Aktau and land it on the ground,” attendant Asadov said.
“He warned that there would be a hard landing and asked us to be ready and prepare the passengers.”
It crashed on the opposite shore of the Caspian after what Russia’s aviation watchdog said was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike.
Footage shot by passengers on the plane before it crashed showed oxygen masks down and people wearing life vests. Later footage showed bloodied and bruised passengers climbing out of the plane.
After the turmoil of the crash landing, there was silence before the moaning of the injured began, Rakhimov said.
The crash has underscored the risks to civil aviation even when aircraft are flying hundreds of miles from a war zone, especially when a major drone war is underway.
Previous disasters include the shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in 2020 by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, killing all 176 people on board.
In 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a Russian BUK missile system with the loss of 298 passengers and crew.
In 1983, the Soviet Union shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after it veered off course and flew through prohibited airspace. In 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. warship the Vincennes shot down an Iran Air flight over the Gulf, killing all 290 people on board.”
Azerbaijan Airlines Laud “Heroism” Of Pilots Who Died But Saved Half Of The Passengers
Azerbaijan Airlines Laud “Heroism” Of Pilots Who Died But Saved Half Of The PassengersThe airline’s president, Samir Rzayev, praised the pilots’ “heroism” and dedication to saving lives, saying their actions “have immortalised their names in
The Azerbaijan Airlines’ president praised the pilots’ “heroism” and dedication to saving lives
A devastating plane crash in Kazakhstan has claimed the lives of 38 people, including both pilots, while half the passengers – 29 people miraculously survived.
The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 jet, carrying 67 people, was flying from Baku to Grozny when it made an emergency landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan, due to adverse weather conditions.
The Associated Press posted a video of the crash which showed passengers being taken out from the aft section of the aircraft, an area which is generally considered safe in a crash.
According to an analysis in 2015 by Time Magazine of US federal data from 1985 to 2000, the seats in the back of the plane had a fatality rate of 32%, compared to 39% in the middle and 38% in the front. The back middle seats had the lowest fatality rate, at 28%.
The airline’s president, Samir Rzayev, praised the pilots’ “heroism” and dedication to saving lives, saying, “While this tragic accident brought a significant loss to our nation, the crew’s valiant dedication to their duties until the last moment and their prioritization of human life have immortalised their names in history,” according to the Azerbaijani news agency report.
The pilots had collectively logged over 15,000 flight hours, and the plane had recently passed a technical inspection.
Investigations are ongoing, but preliminary reports suggest the plane may have been damaged by a Russian anti-missile system. Some experts point to evidence of shrapnel damage to the aircraft’s elevator and rudder controls. However, Russian authorities have denied involvement, and the cause of the crash remains unknown.