Survivors from the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan captured the harrowing final moments before the plane plummeted to the ground.
Flight J2-8243, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, veered hundreds of kilometers off its intended route to Russia’s Chechen Republic before crashing near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, on December 25.
The plane carried 67 people onboard. According to Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, 38 people perished while 29 survived.
Several videos shared on social media by survivors revealed the final moments onboard and the immediate aftermath of the crash.
One video, posted on the Russian Telegram channel 112, shows passengers reciting the Islamic prayer “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) or crying as the plane began a rapid descent. The crew broadcast announcements about the possibility of an emergency landing.
Yellow oxygen masks dropped from overhead compartments. While most passengers remained seated, a few stood between the rows, talking and looking around with anxious expressions.
Another video, shared on RT’s X account, showed part of the passenger cabin after the crash. The footage appeared to capture the tail section of the aircraft, which had broken away from the fuselage but remained largely intact.
Passengers were scattered on the floor among scattered belongings, with groans of pain audible in the background. Some lay motionless, while others were conscious, shouting for help and attempting to climb out through exits.
