A Russia’s Grozny-bound plane with 62 passengers and five crew members on board crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau airport on Wednesday.
The Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 deviated significantly from its planned route and crashed on the opposite side of the Caspian Sea. Russia’s aviation authority suggested that a bird strike might have caused the emergency situation, Reuters reported.
Russia’s aviation authority stated on Telegram: “Preliminary: after a collision with birds, due to an emergency situation on board, its commander decided to ‘go’ to an alternate airfield – Aktau was chosen.”
The aircraft attempted an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometres from Aktau in Kazakhstan.
Several videos circulating on the online space showed the plane descending rapidly before bursting into flames as it hit the seashore, and thick black smoke then rising. Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.
In the incident, 32 people survived while over 30 died.
The Kazakh emergencies ministry confirmed that firefighters extinguished the blaze. The survivors, including two children, received medical treatment at a local hospital whilst recovery operations for the deceased continued.
The timing of the crash coincided with drone strikes in southern Russia, though officials have not provided an explanation for the aircraft’s deviation. Historical drone activities have previously affected airport operations in the region, with at least one airport closed on Wednesday morning.
Aktau lies across the Caspian Sea from Azerbaijan and Russia. Flight-tracking websites observed the aircraft following its planned route northward along the western coastline until its signal vanished. The aircraft later appeared on the eastern side, making circles near Aktau airport before it struck the beach.
On Wednesday morning, officials in Ingushetia and North Ossetia, two Russian regions bordering Chechnya, documented drone attacks.
A representative from Makhachkala airport, situated on the Caspian’s eastern shore near where the flight’s signal was lost, confirmed to Reuters that incoming flights were suspended for several hours on Wednesday morning. Reuters was unable to establish immediate contact with Grozny airport officials.
Kazakh officials announced the formation of a government commission to investigate the incident. Commission members were instructed to visit the site and ensure proper support for the families of those killed and injured.
