A chilling video shows an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 jet crashing in Kazakhstan on Christmas, killing 38 people. Footage captures the fiery aftermath near Aktau, with emergency crews helping dazed survivors.
Flight J2-8243 left Baku for Grozny but veered miles off course, possibly due to a bird strike. Of the 67 onboard, 29 survived, including two children, though some are in critical condition. Both pilots died, according to Interfax.
Initially blamed on a bird strike, new evidence suggests a possible explosion of an oxygen tank. Some experts speculate the plane may have been mistaken for a Ukrainian drone and hit by a missile. Photos of the fuselage show potential shrapnel damage, raising further concerns.
Videos depict passengers limping away from the wreckage and others injured inside the shattered aircraft. In one clip, a woman cries out as a bloodied survivor is dragged to safety.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia are probing the crash’s cause. President Ilham Aliyev, returning from Russia, offered condolences. The incident follows rising drone activity in the region, which has led to airport closures.
