By Evi Chrysoheri,
The final month of the past year ended tragically for many families, due to the series of consecutive aviation accidents. Although it is a fact that airplanes are among the safest means of transportation, boasting the lowest probability of accidents, various factors seem to have contributed to the crash of four aircrafts in the days leading up to the New Year.
On Wednesday, December 25th 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft tragically crashed, carrying 67 passengers. Of those on board, 38 lost their lives, while 29 survived, some with severe injuries. On Christmas morning, flight J2-8243 departed from the airport in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, with Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechen Republic, as its final destination. The majority of the passengers were ciizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The exact cause of the crash has not yet been unanimously determined. However, preliminary findings suggest that as the plane approached Grozny, its GPS systems were disrupted by electronic interference and that it was struck by fragments from a Russian air defense missile. Additionally, testimonies from surviving passengers explicitly describe a series of explosions before the crash. Thus, the likelihood of a bird strike being the cause of the crash is significantly reduced, especially since images of the aircraft reveal visible holes, further supporting the aforementioned conclusion.
Another factor supporting this perspective is that, in the recent weeks, Ukraine had conducted drone attacks in Chechnya and other regions of the Russia Caucasus. Following these incidents, Moscow’s authorities announced the implementation of a protocol to close the airspace over Grozny. According to local officials, an unmanned aircraft was shot down by air defenses in Vladikavkaz located in neighboring North Ossetia, on the morning of the crash. However, it remains uncertain whether the airspace closure protocol had been fully enacted before or during flight J2-8243’s passage through Russian airspace. The only certainty is that the pilot managed to land the aircraft as best as he could, saving the lives of 29 people though he himself perished.
Another devastating plane crash occurred on December 29 2024, in South Korea, claiming the lives of 179 people aboard a Jeju Air flight. The aircraft went down at Muan Airport under circumstances that are still under investigation. The Boeing 737-800, operated by the South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air, was carrying 181 people from Thailand, mostly South Korean tourists returning from their holidays. During an emergency landing at Muan Airport, the aircraft crashed into a wall, resulting in the tragic loss of lives. Only two individuals survived the crash, both members of the crew, as they were located in the tail section of the aircraft at the time of impact.
The causes of the crash remain under investigation, with scenarios including a bird strike and severe weather conditions being considered. Experts are still examining the incident, and the BBC has noted that a multitude of factors could have contributed to the tragedy. South Korean authorities stated that the pilot was highly experienced, with 6,800 flight hours and six years of service as a captain. Additionally, the airline has been recognized for maintaining excellent safety standards. However, it was revealed that the ill-fated aircraft had completed 13 flights within 48 hours prior to the crash.
Many believe the tragedy could have been avoided if the concrete wall near the runway had not been present. The wall was located approximately 250 meters from the end of the runway. Without it, the Jeju Air aircraft would likely have skidded along the runway and come to rest on the soil beyond, significantly increasing the chances of survival for most, if not all the passengers.
In conclusion, 2024 has been a tragic year for air travel, marked as one of the deadliest in recent years due to a multitude of aviation incidents and accidents that occurred worldwide. The year has witnessed a series of devastating events, making it one of the darkest periods in aviation history.
References
- Συντριβή αεροσκάφους στο Καζακστάν: Η Ρωσία ενδέχεται να κατέρριψε την πτήση, λένε οι ΗΠΑ. Lifo Newsroom. Available here
- Συντριβή αεροσκάφους στη Νότια Κορέα: Οι πρώτες φωτογραφίες των θυμάτων της τραγωδίας. To Πρώτο Θέμα. Available here
