Survivors from the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan captured the harrowing final moments before the plane plummeted to the ground.
Flight J2-8243, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, veered hundreds of kilometers off its intended route to Russia’s Chechen Republic before crashing near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, on December 25.
The plane carried 67 people onboard. According to Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, 38 people perished while 29 survived.
Several videos shared on social media by survivors revealed the final moments onboard and the immediate aftermath of the crash.
One video, posted on the Russian Telegram channel 112, shows passengers reciting the Islamic prayer “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) or crying as the plane began a rapid descent. The crew broadcast announcements about the possibility of an emergency landing.
Yellow oxygen masks dropped from overhead compartments. While most passengers remained seated, a few stood between the rows, talking and looking around with anxious expressions.
Another video, shared on RT’s X account, showed part of the passenger cabin after the crash. The footage appeared to capture the tail section of the aircraft, which had broken away from the fuselage but remained largely intact.
Passengers were scattered on the floor among scattered belongings, with groans of pain audible in the background. Some lay motionless, while others were conscious, shouting for help and attempting to climb out through exits.
Additional footage from the crash site circulated on social media, showing the plane’s fuselage riddled with small punctures clustered together. Authorities in Kazakhstan announced an investigation into the incident, including the possibility of technical failure.
The aircraft involved, an Embraer model manufactured in Brazil, had a maximum capacity of 114 passengers.
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, reported that the plane collided with birds during its journey from Baku to Grozny. The emergency prompted the captain to divert the aircraft to an alternate airport in Aktau. The plane crashed near the Caspian Sea coast as it attempted to land.
Aktau, situated on Kazakhstan’s eastern Caspian coast, lies opposite Azerbaijan and Russia.
Flight tracking websites revealed that the Embraer initially followed its planned route along the western Caspian coast before abruptly losing signal. The flight signal reappeared on the eastern coast near Aktau Airport, where the plane circled before ultimately crashing on the beach.
Earlier that morning, Russian authorities in the neighboring regions of Ingushetia and North Ossetia, adjacent to Chechnya, issued air defense alerts in response to drone attacks from Ukraine.
Makhachkala Airport, located in the capital of Russia’s Dagestan Republic, confirmed it temporarily suspended inbound flights due to air defense alerts. Makhachkala was the closest air traffic control point to the Embraer’s final signal location.
Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended all flights from Baku to Chechnya until the investigation into the crash is completed. The Kazakh government has pledged close cooperation with Azerbaijan throughout the investigation process.