At least 38 dead after Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashes near Aktau, Kazakhstan

At least 38 people are confirmed dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. The Embraer 190 passenger jet, flight J2-8243, was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Russia when it went off course and crashed near the Caspian Sea.

According to Kazakh authorities, the plane had 62 passengers and five crew members on board. As of Wednesday afternoon, 38 bodies had been recovered, while 29 survivors were reported, many of whom were injured. Among the survivors were two children, and all have been hospitalized, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The flight, which was initially scheduled to fly over Russian territory, deviated from its planned route by several hundred miles, ultimately crashing on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. The cause of the deviation remains unclear, although the crash occurred shortly after a series of drone strikes hit southern Russia. Authorities noted that drone activity has previously disrupted airports in the region, and on Wednesday morning, the nearest Russian airport along the plane’s flight path was closed.

While Russian aviation officials suggested the crash may have been caused by a bird strike, aviation-security firm Osprey Flight Solutions speculated that the plane was “likely shot down” by a Russian military air-defense system. The firm pointed to the wreckage and video footage from the scene, indicating the possible involvement of antiaircraft fire.

“Given the airspace security situation in southwest Russia, it is possible the aircraft was hit by some form of antiaircraft fire,” Matt Borie, Osprey’s chief intelligence officer, told The Wall Street Journal.

Ukrainian national security official Andriy Kovalenko also shared similar concerns, blaming a Russian air-defense system for the crash in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The crash claimed the lives of several nationals, including 42 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, six Kazakhstani citizens, and three Kyrgyzstanis, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations. Russian news agency Interfax reported that both pilots were among the dead.

Kazakh officials and emergency services continue to investigate the cause of the crash as survivors are treated for injuries in local hospitals. The incident is likely to raise further questions about aviation safety and airspace security in the region.