Azerbaijan Airlines Laud "Heroism" Of Pilots Who Died But Saved Half Of The Passengers

The terrible Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan has consumed the lives of 38 people, including both pilots, while half of the passengers - 29-inexplicably survived.

The Embraer 190 jet of Azerbaijan Airlines with 67 persons on board was en route from Baku to Grozny and had to make an emergency landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan due to bad weather.

It was seen in the video released by the Associated Press that passengers were being taken out at the back of the aircraft. This is an area generally considered the most secure in the case of a crash.

In an analysis by Time Magazine in the year 2015 regarding the US federal data for the years between 1985 and 2000, the back seats of the aircraft were found to have fatality rates of 32 percent, with 39 and 38 percent in the middle and front seats, respectively. Among the seats, the back middle seats had the lowest fatality rate, at 28 percent.

Samir Rzayev, head of the airline, commended the pilot's "heroism" and selflessness in trying to save lives. He said: "While this tragic incident has brought enormous casualty for our nation, the heroic commitment of the crew to fulfil their duties until the last moment and their primacy to human life have immortalized their names in history" as reported by the news agency of Azerbaijan.

Currently, investigations are still going on; however, the first inklings have surfaced whereby the airplane might have possibly suffered damage from the Russian anti-missile system. However, the Russian authorities declined any involvement and do not know the cause of the crash.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight accident has raised questions about air safety in the region, especially in light of recent military activities. In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones targeted the Grozny.

The inquiry proceeds, with the airline and the relevant authorities seeking to ascertain the cause of the aerial accident. The crashed airplane's black box has been recovered, and an analysis thereof is conducted on the international standards of aviation.