A memorial stand for the victims of Azerbaijan Airlines
Flight J28243 has been installed at the entrance to Baku Airport’s Terminal 2 following yesterday’s tragic crash which killed 38 passengers and has left many more in critical condition. A minute’s silence was held and floral tributes were left to honor the victims.
Memorial for AZAL crash victims at Baku Airport
On the orders of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, a day of mourning was held across the country, which included a nationwide minute’s silence at noon. People gathered by the memorial at the southern entrance of Heydar Aliyev International Airport’s (GYD) Terminal 2 to pay their respects. In a statement, Azerbaijan Airlines said,
“We will never forget the beloved people we lost in the crash of the “Embraer-190″ aircraft. This loss left a deep wound in the heart of an entire community. It reminds us to be more compassionate and connected to one another.”
Memorials have also been set up outside of Azerbaijani institutions across the world. During the minute’s silence, the country stood at a standstill, traffic halted, and trains and ships sounded their horns.
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Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 Crash: What We Know So Far
It was on December 25th that an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan – which is located on the shores of the Caspian sea.
At the time of making this video, we know that 38 people onboard were killed while 29 survived.
Photo:Â AnarAliyev | Shutterstock
Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev commended the flight’s two pilots and cabin crew as heroes for their efforts to steer the plane to safety. With 29 survivors at this stage, the flight crew’s composure during an apparent loss of primary flight controls saved many lives.
It was initially reported that a bird strike caused the emergency, and leaked transcripts reveal that the pilots mistakenly believed this to be the case, too. The plane’s communication systems were also disabled by Russian electronic weaponry and it disappeared off radar screens before reappearing en route to Kazakhstan.
Update on passengers
In a joint statement by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Azerbaijan Airlines, it has been revealed that the bodies of those who perished in the crash will be flown back to Azerbaijan in the near future.
Azerbaijan Airlines will also transport injured passengers back to Azerbaijan on a special flight if their condition permits. Additionally, a Russian aircraft of the Russian Emergencies Ministry transported nine injured Russians back to Moscow.
According to Trend, 27 people were hospitalized after the crash, including 15 from Azerbaijan, eight from Russia, and three from Kyrgyzstan. Of those injured, 11 are in intensive care, 13 are in the trauma ward, two in neurosurgery, and one in the surgical ward.
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Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J28243: ADS-B Data Shows Erratic Altitude & Speed For +75 Minutes
The investigation into this complicated tragedy continues.
In the aftermath of the crash, speculation was rife that the plane had been struck by an anti-aircraft weapon due to multiple shrapnel-like holes in the aircraft’s tail. As reported by Simple Flying earlier today, Euronews has reported that insider Azerbaijani government sources confirmed the aircraft was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile, likely mistaking the commercial plane for a Ukrainian drone.
Photo:Â Oleg Znamenskiy | Shutterstock
The aircraft’s intended destination, Kadyrov Grozny International Airport (GRV), is located in a region that has come under attack from Ukrainian drones in recent weeks. Having sought to make an emergency landing, the flight was reportedly denied access to nearby Russian airports, forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport (SCO).