Key Takeaways:
– An Azerbaijani airliner crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, possibly leaving over 30 dead.
– At least 32 people, including five crew members, survived the plane crash.
– The aircraft intended to travel from Baku to Grozny was diverted due to a bird strike, causing an emergency situation on board.
– Officials have begun investigations into potential causes of the crash, including technical faults.
– Conflicts arose with flight-tracking data due to apparent “strong GPS jamming.”
Body:
On Wednesday, the city of Aktau in Western Kazakhstan witnessed a heartbreaking incident as an Azerbaijani airliner crashed with 67 passengers on board. The disaster reportedly claimed over 30 lives, while a minimum of 32 individuals emerged as survivors, according to Azerbaijani officials.
Survivors Being Treated for Injuries
The unfortunate turn of events has left many survivors needing medical attention. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry reported that at least 29 individuals are currently receiving hospital care following the incident. The ministry also confirmed the presence of five crew members among the assumed deceased.
Crash Site Continues to Reveal More Survivors
Initial reports from Kazakh officials suggested 25 individuals miraculously survived the crash. As the rescue operations persist, this number saw subsequent revisions to 27, 28, and 29, effectively decreasing the predicted fatalities. Furthermore, the Prosecutor General’s Office in Azerbaijan indicated a survival count of at least 32 persons, although the final number remains uncertain.
Pilots Lose Lives in Harrowing Incident
Emergency workers on site revealed that both pilots did not survive the accident. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, the preliminary assessments showed no survivors among the aircraft’s pilots. This tragic crash seems to have claimed the lives of both individuals responsible for navigating the Embraer 190 aircraft prior to its emergency landing near Aktau.
Bird Strike Causes Emergency Situation
The aircraft initially embarked on a journey from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, towards the Russian city of Grozny located in the North Caucasus region. However, matters escalated when a bird strike on the airliner compelled the pilot to make the emergency diversion to Aktau, causing significant distress on board.
Initially, reports suggested the plane had been rerouted due to fog enveloping Grozny. The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia further corroborated these speculations, revealing initial indications of a bird strike leading to an emergency situation. Investigations are currently underway, probing potential causatives of the crash, with a technical problem being one of the notable considerations.
Crash Wreckage Revealed by Mobile Footage
Crucial insight into the incident arises from mobile phone footage circulating online. These visuals capture the aircraft’s steep descent preceding its fateful clash with the ground. Images depict the aircraft engulfed by a fireball upon impact, with emergency crews promptly extinguishing the flames at the crash site.
Remarkable Footage of Survivors Emerges
Social media platforms played host to several videos of survivors making daring escapes from the wreckage. One such unverified video shows people struggling to exit an intact fragment of the fuselage while others were aiding fellow passengers away from the wreckage.
GPS Jamming Complicates Rescue Efforts
Flight-tracking data painted an alarming picture of the aircraft making erratic movements as it approached the airport in Aktau. The altitude records show abrupt fluctuations minutes before the crash. In addition to the unfolding chaos, FlightRadar24 pointed out evidence of “strong GPS jamming,” complicating the transmission of essential flight data for tracking the aircraft in flight. The occurrence of GPS jamming has been previously attributed to Russia in the larger region.
As officials work tirelessly to salvage what remains and make sense of this tragic incident, relevant aviation companies, such as Embraer and Azerbaijan Airlines, have been reached for comment. The latter has committed to keeping the public updated on the unfolding situation.