Azerbaijan Airlines Releases Passenger List for Kazakhstan Plane Crash

In a tragic aviation accident, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, a city on Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea coast. The incident has claimed numerous lives, leaving only 25 survivors from the 72 passengers aboard. Passenger List for Kazakhstan Plane Crash

Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan, to Kadyrov Grozny International Airport near Grozny, Russia. On 25 December 2024, the Embraer 190AR operating the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was severely damaged by what is believed to be a Russian anti-aircraft missile during the aircraft’s approach to Grozny. The aircraft attempted to divert but ultimately crashed near Aktau International Airport in Kazakhstan with 62 passengers and 5 crew on board. Of those 67 people, 38 died in the accident, including both of the pilots and a flight attendant, while 29 people survived with injuries.

Approximately 40 minutes after takeoff, as the aircraft entered Russian airspace and neared Grozny, the crew reported losing GPS navigational aids, due to jamming. Foggy conditions were also reported by the airport. As the plane approached its destination, 81 minutes into the flight, passengers reported an explosion and shrapnel striking the aircraft. In radio transmissions, the pilots attributed the explosion to a bird strike and requested a diversion. They initiated emergency protocols, including squawking 7700 on the transponder, and redirected the flight over the Caspian Sea toward Aktau. Passenger List for Kazakhstan Plane Crash

Azerbaijan Airlines – Embraer 190AR (ERJ-190-100IGW) 4K-AZ65 Antalya Airport June 18, 2016

However, images from the crash scene revealed perforated holes in the tail section, damage that experts deemed inconsistent with a bird strike but resembling the impact of a surface-to-air missile. On 26 December Euronews reported that, citing Azerbaijani government sources, the plane had been hit mid-flight by a Russian missile during efforts to repel a Ukrainian drone attack on Grozny Airport. Shrapnel from the blast injured several passengers and cabin crew. On 27 December, The New York Times reported that Azerbaijani investigators believed a Russian Pantsir-S1 air-defence system had damaged the plane before it crashed.

The airline has published the full list of passengers, reflecting the breadth of lives affected by the tragedy. While rescue efforts and investigations are ongoing, the global community has expressed condolences, with notable responses from regional leaders. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was among those offering sympathies. Passenger List for Kazakhstan Plane Crash

Authorities are actively investigating the cause of the crash.

The aviation world is mourning yet another tragic loss, underscoring the fragility of life and the importance of robust safety measures in air travel.

Passenger List for Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash in Kazakhstan