What should’ve been a time of joy became a day of mourning for Azerbaijan after a plane was reportedly shot down, landing in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, December 25.

The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 38 people who, due to the slow but inevitable descent of the aircraft, were made painfully aware of their destiny moments before the crash.

Subkhon Rakhimov, one of the travelers, thought only of his beloved wife as the plane descended, taking the opportunity to record a heartbreaking message to her.

“I love you. I’m sorry for everything. Tell our kids I love them,” the man said while recording from the plane. The passengers were eerily silent while a flight attendant instructed them to remain in their seats.

Footage released shows the heartbreaking moment in which a man sends a last goodbye to his family before his plane crashes in Kazakhstan

Image credits: clashreport

Rakhimov explained in the video how the passengers heard a loud bang, followed by the plane losing altitude and oxygen masks being deployed. As he says this, at least one traveler can be heard crying in fear.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight nº J2-8243 was en route from Bajo to Grozny, Chechnya, when it was hit by an unknown object, causing it to crash approximately three kilometers from Aktau, Kazakhstan.

The incident ended the lives of 38 of the 67 people on board. While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, conflicting reports have emerged.

Image credits: clashreport

Russian authorities suggested the incident was due to the plane colliding with a flock of birds, a theory supported by alleged communications released between pilots and air traffic control shortly after the impact was felt. 

However, new evidence cited by Reuters, and others, points to the possibility of the plane being shot down by a Russian air defense system. Ukrainian authorities also questioned the bird flock theory, stating that the plane was likely mistaken for one of their own.

The incident resulted in 38 passengers dead and 29, including two children, surviving with seven being in “critical condition”

Rakhimov, as well as the rest of the 29 passengers, including two children, miraculously survived and were able to be rescued by firefighters and emergency workers.

A dramatic follow-up video, seemingly recorded by a passenger, shows rescuers looking for survivors, with the footage offering a sobering look at the compressed cabin in which the travelers and crew ended up trapped.

Image credits: fl360aero

Rakhimov and the rest of the surviving travelers were found in the rear section of the aircraft, as the brunt of the impact was sustained by the front, which was destroyed by a subsequent fire.

The passengers were taken to the hospital with varying degrees of injury, and authorities have confirmed that at least seven are in critical condition.

Image credits: fl360aero

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Kanat Bozumbayev, also confirmed the nationality of the victims, with 37 being Azerbaijan citizens, 16 being Russian citizens, six from Kazakhstan, and three from Kyrgyzstan.

Bozumbayev sadly confirmed that no Kazakh nationals survived.

Investigations into the cause of the incident are underway, with theories pointing toward the plane being targeted by a Russian defense system

Tragic moment airplane with 110 on board crashes near Aktau city in Kazakhstan, bursts into flames pic.twitter.com/tYrYCdQhGY

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) December 25, 2024

In response to the tragedy, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s president, cut short his trip to Russia to return home.

The Azeri state flag is currently flying at half-mast as the country observes a day of national mourning for the victims of the crash.

“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” Aliyev said.

Image credits: Warfare Watch

Information provided by the flight-tracking website Flightradar24 stated that the aircraft was “exposed to GPS jamming and spoofing near Grozny,” significantly reducing the plane’s ability to navigate.

Data from the crash, the site said, also indicated “possible control issues with the aircraft” prior to its landing.

Analysis of the plane’s wreckage showed perforations on its body that some believe look similar to damage from shrapnel, and that due to their shape and size couldn’t have been caused by the collision.

Netizens were shocked and saddened by the tragedy, with many taking the opportunity to honor the sacrifice of the pilots, whose maneuvers managed to save the lives of 29 passengers

A passenger who was reciting his last prayer during the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan has miraculously survived with minor injuries.#AzerbaijanAirlines #Kazakhstan #PlaneCrashpic.twitter.com/Em7oEc4V9Y https://t.co/uu7m30PZmz

— Mr. Shaz (@Wh_So_Serious) December 25, 2024

“I can’t even begin to think about the terror of everyone on that plane during that nosedive,” one reader wrote. “The pilots did an amazing job recovering from the nosedive and attempting to land the plane.”

“Horrible tragedy, the pilot worked hard to save their lives. Heartbreaking,” another stated.

One user added further context, explaining how the way in which the plane landed was a deliberate choice made by the crew in order to maximize the odds of passengers surviving.

“When the front of the plane tilted, the very front of the plane served as a ‘crumple zone’ so that most of the energy is absorbed there and the force on the rest of the frame is dissipated,” the user said. “By doing this it gave the passengers toward the rear the chance to survive.”

“Terrifying last few minutes of life. He was one of the lucky ones to live.”

“Unbelievably calm.” Netizens praised the man for being brave and keeping calm in the face of imminent danger

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