BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 25. On the
anniversary of the tragedy that occurred on December 25, 2024,
during the operation of Azerbaijan Airlines’ (AZAL) scheduled
passenger flight J2-8243 en route Baku-Grozny, a commemorative
event was held in honor of the victims, with the participation of
representatives of state authorities and the public, Trend reports.


As part of the memorial ceremony, Rashad Nabiyev, the Minister
of Digital Development and Transport, Shahin Babayev, Executive
Director of AZCON Holding, Samir Rzayev, President of Azerbaijan
Airlines CJSC, along with representatives of state institutions,
visited the II Alley of Honour in Baku together with the families
of the deceased crew members. Participants laid flowers at the
graves and observed a minute of silence in memory of those who lost
their lives. A minute of silence was also announced at Heydar
Aliyev International Airport in remembrance of the victims.


Earlier, on 20 December, within the framework of commemorative
events, AZAL’s management, together with the relatives of the
deceased crew members, visited the crash site near the city of
Aktau in the Republic of Kazakhstan. This visit marked another step
toward honoring and preserving the memory of the victims of the
tragedy.


On 25 December 2024, an Embraer 190 passenger aircraft of
Azerbaijan Airlines en route from Baku to Grozny under flight
number J2-8243 was subjected to external physical and technical
interference. After losing control in Russian airspace, the
aircraft was redirected toward Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it made an
emergency landing. Of the 67 people on board, 38 lost their lives,
while 29 passengers survived.







For demonstrating high professionalism, bravery, and dedication
in fulfilling their duties, the deceased crew members—Igor
Kshnyakin, Alexander Kalyaninov, and Hokuma Aliyeva—were
posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan. The
surviving crew members—Zulfiqar Asadov and Aydan Rahimli—were
awarded the Order of "Rashadat" (Courage) of the 1st Degree.


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