Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan, leaving dozens feared dead

On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 individuals aboard. The aircraft was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it was forced to divert due to worsening weather conditions and a reported bird strike, according to initial reports from authorities. While making an emergency landing attempt, the plane experienced control issues and crashed approximately two miles from the airport. Thousands of condolences poured in from around the world as Azerbaijan mourned the loss and initiated an investigation into the crash. Experts and government sources have increasingly suggested that a Russian surface-to-air missile was responsible for downing the aircraft. Its flight path suggested the aircraft came under fire from Russian air defenses, which were reportedly active against Ukrainian drone incursions at the time. Preliminary investigations indicate that shrapnel from a missile may have damaged the plane, influencing its trajectory and eventual crash. Amid the investigation, Russia's civil aviation authority maintained that the aircraft changed course after a bird strike, with the Kremlin urging citizens to avoid speculation until facts were established. However, officials in Azerbaijan publicly demanded answers, urging accountability for what they perceive as a grave oversight in the management of airspace during ongoing military operations. As the nations work to piece together the events leading to the disaster, ground responses included suspensions of flights between Azerbaijan and several cities in Russia, and a nationwide day of mourning was declared in Azerbaijan. Survivors have been reported, but there are substantial concerns regarding the causal factors that have contributed to this tragic incident.