Aviation heroism: Unforgettable legacy of Flight 8243’s crew in Aktau crash Remarkable tale of survival and sacrifice

The Times, a leading British newspaper, recently highlighted the incredible bravery of the crew aboard an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 that tragically crashed on December 25, 2024. Caliber.Az is proud to share this gripping tribute to their heroism with our readers.

On Christmas morning, 2024, the crew of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 found themselves battling an extraordinary crisis as their Embraer 190 plane, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members, faced catastrophic failure over southern Russia. The ordeal has been detailed in an official report, shedding light on the crew's unwavering heroism.

The drama began as Captain Igor Kshnyakin, an experienced pilot with over 15,000 flight hours, made a second attempt to land the plane at Grozny Airport. However, his efforts were thwarted by Russian air defence, which was jamming vital satellite signals, and the fact that the civil authorities had not been informed. The crew was uncertain about the cause of their trouble but decided to head toward Baku, Azerbaijan, as Kshnyakin radioed the tower: "We’re heading to Baku."

Minutes later, the situation escalated dramatically. At 9:13 AM, a loud bang, described as "like a sonic boom," rocked the plane. The autopilot disengaged, flight controls failed, and a rear door blew open. It was then that Kshnyakin and First Officer Aleksandr Kalyaninov realized they were under attack. Two nearby missile blasts had riddled the aircraft with shrapnel, causing severe damage to essential flight systems.

Despite the catastrophic damage, including the loss of control over critical flight surfaces, the crew's response was remarkable. They struggled to maintain control, improvising a desperate approach by adjusting engine thrust. For over an hour, they managed to keep the plane airborne, even as the aircraft's systems were slowly shredded by the explosions. Kshnyakin, 62, and Kalyaninov, 32, knew they were facing an impossible challenge but fought valiantly to guide the plane towards safety.

The initial report confirms that the Embraer 190, which had just completed a routine flight from Baku, had been struck by metal shards from the missiles, severely damaging its control systems. However, Kazakhstan's transport ministry report, citing the delicate political situation with Russia, refrained from mentioning the missile strike directly, instead referring to "objects from outside" that punctured the plane’s rear and tail section.

As the plane struggled to stay aloft, the crew's communication revealed the panic and confusion inside the cabin. Chief flight attendant Zulfugar Asadov, who survived the ordeal, described the chaos: "Two seats exploded, I can't get to them because the passengers are standing up." Asadov himself was injured by shrapnel in the second blast. Another flight attendant, Aydan Rahimli, also confirmed hearing three explosions, noting that the second blast caused a severe injury to Asadov's arm. Despite this, the crew continued to calm passengers as best they could.

In the midst of the crisis, Kshnyakin asked Asadov to assess the damage. The flight crew initially suspected they had encountered a bird strike, but the severity of the situation soon became apparent. The plane was spiralling toward disaster, and the pilots struggled to find a viable landing option.

The pilots considered landing at nearby airports, including Mineralnye Vody and Makhachkala, but weather conditions forced them to make a critical decision. With no other options, they set a course for Aktau, Kazakhstan, over 240 miles across the Caspian Sea. After issuing a mayday call, the crew began their final descent. Passengers, some unconscious from lack of cabin pressurization, could hear flight attendants offering reassurance: "Everything will be fine," said Hokuma Aliyeva, 33, before she tragically did not survive.

The final moments of the flight were captured on harrowing ground video, showing the plane swooping and lurching as the pilots fought to land. The Embraer 190, struggling to maintain control, crashed just short of the runway, exploding in a fireball upon impact. The rear section of the plane detached, and the survivors—most of whom were in the tail section—were rescued by a waiting ground team.

Asadov, who had suffered a severe hand injury, recounted the chaos: “We began assisting passengers and helping them exit the plane. A rescue team was waiting for us outside." Rahimli, who lost consciousness during the crash, later recalled waking up and being told they were in Aktau. "I opened my eyes and saw we were being taken out of the plane,” she said.

Rahimli told local television from her hospital bed that there was no question that Asadov and passengers had been wounded by shrapnel from outside.

The report showed photographs of the puncture holes in the fuselage and tail section and jagged pieces of shrapnel lodged in the plane’s innards. A Kazakh official told news media that at least one Russian Pantsir-S anti-air missile was responsible.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the airliner had been hit by fire from the ground over Grozny and his government has asked Russia to admit that its forces shot down the jet.

Faced with clear evidence, Moscow has not been able to deny involvement as it did when one of its Buk anti-aircraft missiles downed a Malaysian airliner over Russian-occupied Ukraine in 2014. President Putin apologised for “the tragic incident” over Grozny without further explanation. Russian officials insist the cause of the crash is still unknown while the state media spins alternative theories.

The report, which will be followed by a final version in about a year, included the radio communications and data of the stricken flight but only extracts of the conversation between the pilots.

Surviving crew members and passengers have described the physical and emotional toll of the ordeal, but they agree on one thing: the bravery of the flight crew saved lives. President Aliyev has since hailed Captain Kshnyakin, First Officer Kalyaninov, and flight attendant Aliyeva as national heroes.

Azerbaijan Airlines, deeply mourning the loss of their colleagues, also expressed admiration for the bravery and professionalism displayed in the face of an unprecedented crisis. As one of Kshnyakin's colleagues and friends, Nazim Jafarov, put it: “Igor used his lifetime of piloting experience to the full and did his best until the last second.”

Though Russia has not admitted responsibility for the missile strike, the evidence points to the involvement of Russian military forces. The investigation is ongoing, with the final report expected in the coming months, but for now, the heroic actions of the crew aboard Flight 8243 remain a testament to their courage and skill.