Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to tragic Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that reportedly killed 38

Khabib Nurmagomedov has weighed in on the tragic Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash. The accident reportedly took place near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. Nurmagomedov extended his condolences to those affected by the unfortunate incident.

Per the Independent, the passenger jet, an Embraer 190, was carrying 67 people onboard. It's believed that 38 of them lost their lives after the aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing.

As reported by Reuters, Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the plane was headed from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev expressed support for those affected, deeming the incident a tragedy and sorrow for the Azerbaijani people.

Aliyev suggested he was notified that bad weather caused the plane to change course, but he emphasized that the exact reason behind the crash is unknown and must be investigated. The Reuters report noted that according to Russia's aviation watchdog, on Telegram, the preliminary investigation indicated:

"After a collision with birds, due to an emergency situation onboard, its commander decided to 'go' to an alternate airfield - Aktau was chosen."

Alternatively, speculation has abounded that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict might have caused the flight to divert from its originally scheduled route from Azerbaijan to Russia.

The New York Post reported that the aircraft, flight number J2-8243, crashed hundreds of miles off its original course. Several people miraculously survived the crash. The 29 survivors, including two children, were transported to the hospital for treatment.

Additionally, medical personnel told local news outlet Interfax that both pilots passed away. Per Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, some survivors were critically injured. Azerbaijan Airlines noted that three passengers were from Kyrgyzstan, six from Kazakhstan, 16 from Russia, and 37 from Azerbaijan. As noted, there were also five crew members onboard.

Khabib Nurmagomedov hails from Dagestan, Russia -- neighboring Chechnya, whose capital is Grozny. Nurmagomedov, who's known to be a devout Muslim, prayed for the recovery of those hurt and sent his thoughts to those who were unfortunately killed.

Taking to his Instagram Stories, Nurmagomedov shared an image from the accident's aftermath and some text in the Russian language (*Translation courtesy: Google Translate):

"Truly, we belong to Allah, and to Him we will return! Condolences to the brother regions. Patience and strength to the families of those who killed in the Baku-Grozny plane crash. A speedy recovery to the victims!"

Check out a screenshot of Khabib Nurmagomedov's Instagram Stories post below:

Screenshot of Khabib Nurmagomedov's post

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Khabib Nurmagomedov's heartfelt message comes amid grueling preparations to help his cousin and friends

Khabib Nurmagomedov has often taken to social media to express his support for people affected by tragic accidents and other happenings. His aforementioned message of support comes amid a high-pressure training schedule.

The retired MMA fighter appears to be going all out to coach and help his longtime teammates prepare for their high-stakes fights at UFC 311 (Jan. 18, 2025). His childhood friend Islam Makhachev defends the UFC lightweight title in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan in the event's headlining match.

Also, Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, faces UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili for the latter's title in the co-headliner. Elsewhere, 'The Eagle's' friend and teammate, Tagir Ulanbekov, will fight Clayton Carpenter in a flyweight showdown.

Check out a few fight camp photographs unraveled by Nurmagomedov below: