As harrowing details emerge of the last moments of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432, which crashed on Wednesday in Aktau, the flight crew who did their best to save the passengers until the last moment are being hailed as heroes.

Azerbaijan Airlines published the names of the five crew members, identifying Igor Kshnyakin and Aleksandr Kalyaninov as pilots and Hokuma Aliyeva, Zulfugar Asadov and Aydan Rahimli as flight attendants.

According to the airline, the Embraer 190 aircraft carried 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan, and 16 Russian nationals.

A total of 29 passengers survived the crash, while 38 perished as the pilots attempted to make an emergency landing near the Kazakh city of Aktau.

Azerbaijani government sources have exclusively confirmed to Euronews on Thursday that a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash.

According to the sources, the missile was fired at Flight 8432 during drone air activity above Grozny, and the shrapnel hit the passengers and cabin crew as it exploded next to the aircraft mid-flight.

Government sources have told Euronews that the damaged aircraft was not allowed to land at any Russian airports despite the pilots’ requests for an emergency landing, and it was ordered to fly across the Caspian Sea towards Aktau in Kazakhstan.

According to data, the plane’s GPS navigation systems were jammed throughout the flight path above the sea.

Captain Kshnyakin, First Officer Kalyaninov and chief flight attendant Aliyeva lost their lives in the crash landing, while the other two flight attendants, Asadov and Rahimli, reportedly survived and were being treated in hospital on Thursday.

The family of Aliyeva, the flight’s purser who died in the crash, paid tribute to her, saying “she always told us to be proud of her”.

Aliyeva’s voice can be heard in a chilling video filmed by a passenger mid-flight in which she is heard trying to comfort the cabin.

Her family told APA news agency that Aliyeva had been working for Azerbaijan Airlines since 2016, was a “cheerful person” and studied law before deciding to become a flight attendant.

“She had visited many countries and always told us to be proud of her. Once, after returning from a trip, she said their plane almost crashed… This time, the crash happened, and my daughter couldn’t survive, ” Aliyeva’s family said.

Remarkable airmanship

Captain Kshnyakin had a flight experience of over 15,000 hours of which 11,200 hours as captain, according to Azerbaijan Airlines.

He and First Officer Kalyaninov displayed remarkable airmanship, according to experts, as they managed to fly the stricken plane across the Caspian Sea and crash landing just 3 kilometres short of the Aktau airport runway.

Based on the footage of the crash site and the airplane wreckage, aviation experts concluded that the Embraer 190’s left horizontal stabiliser appears to be punctured by shrapnel and that the aircraft lost most of its hydraulic systems, likely including rudder control.

The videos analysed by experts show the pilots were forced to vary the aircraft speed, pitching down to gain speed and climbing to slow down to be able to steer the plane, resulting in what is known as phugoid motion or an oscillation.

The pilots did not seem to have the choice to land the plane softly, and they had to attempt a crash landing without being able to flare.

Azerbaijan Airlines told Azerbaijani Trend news agency that the last full technical inspection of the aircraft was conducted last October.

According to the airline, the Embraer 190 aircraft, registered as 4K-AZ65 and manufactured in 2013, had completed a total of 9,949 landings and accumulated some 15,257 flight hours before the crash.

Police in Anambra State police have confirmed the abduction of the member representing Onitsha North 1 constituency at Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Justice Azuka at about 9pm on Tuesday night.

Azuka, a chieftain of Labour Party (LP), regained his mandate after court sacked Mr Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) previously announced winner of the 2023 election. Rumours that he had died in the hands of his abductors were rife as at the time of this report.

A resident of Onitsha, who had earlier announced his abduction under the condition of anonymity, urged the police and other relevant authorities to double efforts towards rescuing him.

He lamented that no contact had been established since the lawmaker’s abduction.

Speaking through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Command said that efforts were on to rescue the abducted lawmaker.

According to a statement by Ikenga, Azuka was kidnapped on December 24th while on his way home at Ugwunapampa, In-land town, Onitsha.

“The statement read in part, “Anambra Police Command has activated Operational plans for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers of Mr Justice Azuka, Honourable State House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North Constituency.

“The report of the sad event reveals that on 24/12/2024 by 9:20pm, while returning home at Ugwunapampa road, he was abducted by yet unidentified persons. The Command is already working on some clues for possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers. Further development shall be communicated, please.”

According to the Police Spokesman, the state Police Command has activated Operational plans for the position rescue and arrest of the kidnappers

“We are working on some clues and will communicate further developments”, he stated.

According to Ikenga, “The Anambra Police Command has activated operational plans for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers.”

PRESS RELEASE

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS: POLICE ARREST 23 SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS, HOODLUMS, KIDNAPPER, RECOVER DANGEROUS WEAPONS.

As IGP Commends Officers for Vigilance, Commitment to Safety.

In furtherance of the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., to commands and formations to emplace unalloyed anti crime strategies towards ensuring adequate safety and security during this festive period, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force across several states in the country have successfully apprehended multiple groups of armed robbers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations.

On the 25th of December 2024, at about 1am, the police operatives attached to Lagos State Command, received a distress call that a group of hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons was operating around the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State. The swift response by the police operatives to the scene led to the arrest of 3 of the suspected hoodlums identified as Emmanuel Okoli ‘m’, 20 years, Ogunde Tejiri ‘m’, 20 years, and Emmanuel Orji ‘m’, 18 years, and also the recovery of the weapons they had used in carrying out robbery attacks on innocent funseekers in the area. The police have emplaced intensified searches to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.

In a similar development, Police Operatives attached to Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command on 25th December 2024, at about 8pm, successfully apprehended one Sule Muhammad ‘m’, 25 years, who has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area. Further investigation led to the recovery of a fabricated AK-47 rifle from the suspect. The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang who had been evading arrest since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his recent arrest on 25th December 2024. Following cooperation received from Muhammad, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other members of his gang and recover more arms and ammunition in their identified camp. Commendable efforts of the Nigeria Police Operatives have also been witnessed in states including Delta, Ogun Katsina, Benue, FCT and Imo, leading to the arrests of several suspects in various locations during the Christmas celebration period.

The IGP has commended the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, highlighting their display of exemplary dedication in safeguarding our communities, especially during this joyful season. The IGP urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

The IGP further assures citizens that the Force is fully committed to creating a safe environment for everyone as they partake in the joy and cheer of the holiday season. As the celebrations continue, the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to protect all citizens and ensure that the spirit of festivities during this period remains unmarred by criminal activities.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

27TH DECEMBER 2024.