Flight attendant’s haunting final four words before Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, killing 38 people

38 of the 67 passengers on board Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 perished in the crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Christmas Day. Due to heavy fog, the plane was forced to reroute its route from Baku to Grozny, but it was unable to make a safe landing. According to Zulfugar Asadov, an air steward and survivor, “The captain started to descend but had to abort the landing… hoping the fog would clear.” But the second and third attempts were also unsuccessful.

Hokuma Aliyeva, a 33-year-old flight attendant, consoled travelers in their last moments. “Please fasten your seat belts,” she said calmly. Please pay attention to the instructions, passengers. Everything will be alright. These, unfortunately, were her final words.

Asadov described the mayhem as the aircraft made weird noises and finally broke apart when it touched down. “We began helping passengers and evacuating with them,” he said, describing the efforts to help passengers as panic spread. Outside, a rescue crew was waiting.

It’s unclear if a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny caused Russian defense systems to activate, but this could have played a role in the crash. There is an investigation going on.

Aliyeva’s bravery in trying to comfort others in spite of her injuries was captured on passenger video. The impact sequence of the landing gear is credited by survivors with saving lives because the plane broke apart, preventing complete destruction. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has offered his sympathies to the leaders of Azerbaijan.