The final full week of 2024 has been one of mourning for many after two aircraft were destroyed in fatal accidents that killed 217 people. Aviation remains one of the safest forms of transport despite the heavy and tragic loss of life over the last few days. We have summarized some of the events of the week that ended with today’s horrific Jeju Air disaster.
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Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432
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BREAKING: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight Crashes Near Aktau
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J28243 was heading from Baku to Grozny.
Flight J28432 was a regularly scheduled operation between the Azerbaijani capital of Baku and Grozny International Airport (GRV) in Russia. On a normal day, the service takes about an hour to complete. However, on December 25, thick fog made landing a bit of a challenge.
Passengers reported that the aircraft tried to land two times, to no avail. On the third attempt – which was also unsuccessful – the aircraft suffered what passengers described as explosions hitting the plane. Azerbaijan’s transport minister Rashad Nabiyev said that an “external influence” formed part of the events that unfolded that morning.
The aircraft then made its way towards Aktau in Kazakshtan as a diversion airport. This journey, considered longer than most other alternatives, has confused many. Russian authorities argue that closer alternative airports were proposed but refused by the crew.
Video footage shows the aircraft descending rapidly before crashing into the ground. 38 people were killed. The pilots are credited with having saved the 29 survivors.
Political tension
Indications that the aircraft had been hit by Russian air defense systems surfaced after videos emerged of the cabin interior, showing oxygen masks deployed. Russia was accused of having played a part in the accident from early on as it was conducting military operations in the area as part of its ongoing war against Ukraine.
Russian media began reporting that the aircraft had been hit by a flock of birds. Rumors later suggested that the aircraft was hit by shrapnel from Russian air-defense missile blasts.
On Friday, the White House said that “early indications” showed Russia responsible. The following day, Putin apologized to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev but did not claim responsibility, calling the crash a “tragic incident”. He also commented on the situation in the skies at the time, saying that the cities in the area were “being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks.”
Ukraine’s President compared the crash to the downing of MH17, a service that was shot down by Russian-backed forces over Eastern Ukraine in 2014. This killed all 283 passengers and 15 crew onboard.
Earlier today, Azerbaijan’s President denounced Russia’s involvement in attempting to change the narrative of what truly happened. He also officially accused the country of downing the Azerbaijan Airlines jet. In a televised interview, he said:
“We can clearly say today that the plane was shot down by Russia. This is a fact. No one can deny this fact. Again, we are not saying that this was done intentionally, but it was done.”
Jeju Air Flight 2216
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Hundreds Dead After Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 Crashes Off Runway In Muan, South Korea
A Jeju Air 737-800 crash at Muan Airport claims hundreds of lives.
On Sunday morning in South Korea, a Boeing 737-800 plane belly-landed at Muan International Airport. The aircraft continued speeding towards the wall at the end of the runway, unable to stop, and crashed into a wall.
This inevitably caused the aircraft to erupt into flames, killing all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board. The two survivors, both crew members, were rescued and taken to medical facilities at the airport. They have since been transported to hospitals in Seoul. This tragic accident tops the list of South Korea’s deadliest crashes on its soil.
Photo: DLeng / Shutterstock
The atmosphere that ensued in South Korea after the crash has been one of mourning and confusion, with several unanswered questions about what happened. Investigators are currently establishing a preliminary understanding of the situation and are studying bird strikes and the weather as possible leads to find out what went wrong.
Jeju Air’s leadership bowed in apology at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon. The CEO then walked up to the lectern and took “full responsibility” no matter the cause(s). Song Kyung-hoon, Head of the management support division at Jeju Air, denied all claims suggesting the accident was due to maintenance carelessness on the airline’s part.
“We prioritize safe flight and conduct thorough maintenance before and after departures, so this is not an issue of maintenance negligence.”
Other incidents this weekend
Aside from the two life-taking crashes over this week, a further two fairly significant incidents took place this weekend. While no lives were lost, the events were nevertheless unusual.
Air Canada-PAL Airlines Flight 2259
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PAL Airlines Dash 8-400 Wing Scrapes Runway & Catches Fire On Landing After Gear Failure
Only minor injuries were sustained.
On landing at Halifax International Airport (YHZ), a PAL Airlines Dash 8-400 suffered a landing gear failure, veering to its side, skidding off the runway, and catching fire. The aircraft was operating for Air Canada on a route from St. John’s International Airport (YYT).
Photo: Nestor Salgado | Shutterstock
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Flight 1204
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Hydraulic Failure Causes KLM Boeing 737 To Veer Off Runway On Landing At Oslo Airport
No injuries were reported.
A KLM flight operating between Oslo and Amsterdam suffered a hydraulics failure. As a precaution, the crew opted to return to the Norwegian capital, landing instead at the nearby Oslo Torp Sandefjord Airport (TRF). Upon landing, the aircraft veered to the right and ended up in the grass near the runway.
