Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 Crashes, Investigation Underway

On Wednesday an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The Embraer 190 jet was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny Russia. The plane was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members on board.

After the incident authorities had confirmed that 32 people survived, including two children. Rescue teams are working to find and recover the bodies of those who died in the tragic accident.

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The plane flight J2-8243 went hundreds of miles off its route before crashing on the Caspian Sea’s shore. Officials think the emergency may have been caused by a bird strike. Witnesses saw the plane fall quickly, hit the ground, and burst into flames. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the crash site.

Emergency team of Kazakhstan said that the fire was under control. The injured survivors are getting treatment at a nearby hospital. Some passengers managed to walk out of the wreckage, even though they were hurt and bleeding.

The crash happened around the same time as drone strikes in southern Russia. These strikes had shut down some airports in the area. The nearest Russian airport on the plane’s route was closed that morning. However, officials have not confirmed any link between the crash and the drone activity.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are investigating the crash together. Azerbaijan Airlines said the plane’s pilot tried to make an emergency landing near Aktau after encountering problems.

Leaders from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia shared their condolences.