The selfless crew of the Baku-Grozny flight Heroes among us

The tragedy that occurred yesterday once again confirmed how fragile human life is. Life and death are truly close. Perhaps, it is just one step from life to oblivion. That is why our support for each other is incredibly important. In everything! Permanently! Endlessly!

Some video footage from the plane that crashed yesterday, which we all watched with pain in our hearts and an overwhelming shudder of our bodies, demonstrated how much humanity was shown by the entire crew of the aircraft! Perhaps, at first, we didn't realise that the pilots and flight attendants (cabin crew) were fully aware that the tragedy of a crash was approaching, where the chances of survival could be close to zero. And these people sensed it all. Because the crew was experienced. And they were all professionals. As it turned out, professionals not only in terms of fulfilling their duties and obligations but also in the context of extraordinary humanity.

The way flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva supported the passengers is truly admirable. Yes, we only saw a brief moment that showcased this uniqueness, when the fragile young woman thought nothing of herself, focusing entirely on the lives of the passengers. And only the slightest tremor in her voice revealed the tension she was feeling. But the young woman didn’t just avoid screaming—she didn’t show any emotions at all. And this, as it now becomes clear, especially after the revelations of the survivors, played a crucial role in keeping the cabin calm and preventing panic for an extended period of time.

Similarly, flight attendant Zulfugar Asadov and stewardess Aidan Rahimli, who were brought to the hospital yesterday with injuries of varying severity, demonstrated the same remarkable qualities. And, of course, one cannot help but admire the pilots of the aircraft—Igor Kshnyakin and Alexander Kalyanov. The former, as noted, had over 15,000 flight hours. His experience and professionalism were evident, as we can clearly assess from the fragments of the pilots' communications with air traffic control that have surfaced online. But at the same time, based on even the visual information gleaned from open sources, it is impossible not to be impressed by the humanity displayed by the pilots of the aircraft. It was solely their concern for the passengers that guided the captain and the first officer. One decision after another, they took every possible step to attempt a safe landing without harm to the people on board. They tirelessly searched for, piece by piece, the only possible options at that moment to execute a smooth landing. The runway, which they managed to bring the aircraft to, was already in sight. It was these actions that ultimately saved many passengers from death.

Isn’t this heroism? Yes, we know from history about acts of heroism where people sacrificed themselves to save others. We've seen, for example, how someone might cover an explosive device with their own body to protect others. But didn't Hokuma sacrifice herself yesterday? Or Kshnyakin and Kalyanov? This is heroism, without a doubt. The brief video footage from the cabin and the accounts of the survivors clearly show the deep concern these individuals had for the passengers entrusted to them. Deep down, the pilots and flight attendants felt a profound responsibility for the lives of others.

We all breathe the same air. We smile, laugh, grieve, and share our challenges and joyful moments with loved ones. In the end, we are all the same. Yet, people show their true nature when they face situations that could be described as, perhaps, a crisis. Not everyone can distance themselves from emotions in such moments and maintain the mental clarity required to make critical decisions. Yes, heart and soul play their part, as we saw, but above all, it’s the mind, composure, and a clear understanding of the few choices that can save lives, especially when others are looking to you for hope. Maybe all they need is a word to comfort and reassure them. The crew of the Baku airliner demonstrated this with brilliance!

Let’s agree that situations like the one that occurred yesterday with the plane—though in different, but similar circumstances—are something we’ve encountered before. But... only in movies. Many will surely remember the well-known film The Crew. But yesterday, it wasn’t a movie. Yesterday was a real-life (in the broadest sense) picture of life and death. And at the same time, we witnessed real acts of heroism. Self-sacrifice. Caring for others. Thanks to which the lives of many people were saved.

It is hard to watch the footage from the cabin of the plane shortly before the crash. But these moments allow us to continually realise that heroes are among us. Once again, the saying comes to mind that we all breathe the same air and are made of the same clay. But some are the ones who start wars, erase entire countries, cities, and people from the face of the earth, effectively sacrificing lives to achieve their own political ambitions. While others, like the crew of yesterday’s flight, try to preserve life, even at the cost of their own.

Heroes! There’s no other way to describe them! The memory of these individuals will always be bright—perhaps even brilliant. Because nothing is more significant than human life, the very foundation of the universe created for us by the Almighty! The universe that some inhuman beings constantly try to undermine. The pilots and flight attendants of yesterday’s Baku-Grozny flight demonstrated fundamentally different values. When caring for others (even strangers) is more important than preserving one’s own life! When it doesn't matter who you're saving, in terms of nationality or religious affiliation. And when the language you speak loses all significance. Because all of this merges into the understanding of Humanity!

Glory to the heroes of yesterday, who through their actions were able to save the lives of many people! Heroes! Heroes of our time!

May the Almighty support the families and loved ones of the deceased! May Allah have mercy on them! And may He help the injured recover.