NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Nightly News Full Broadcast (December 25th)

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

Dozens dead after Russia-bound plane crashes; Winter storms threaten the West; Russia launches Christmas Day missile attack on Ukraine; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, a Christmas disaster in the skies. A passenger plane bound for Russia goes down. The terrifying crash caught on camera. Dozens dead, but in the fiery aftermath, there were survivors, including children. How they managed to make it out alive. Why it was rerouted from its original flight plan. And what officials are saying about what could have caused that plane to go down. Winter blast out west. Millions on alert for dangerously high winds, floods, and several feet of snow. And the new details on that massive wave that ripped apart the Santa Cruz Wharf, sending workers into the water. Avalanche survival story. Two brothers snowmobiling in the Utah backcountry when they were swept away. One completely buried. I felt like you

were in a washing machine, just tumbled. The life-saving tool one brother used to get the other out just in time. The tragic find on a Christmas Eve flight from Chicago to Hawaii. And Apple about to hit a major milestone, could have become the first $4 trillion company. The tech giant's new splash into artificial intelligence and what it wants you to bring inside your home. And if all you wanted was a hippopotamus for Christmas, well, guess what? You got it. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

And good evening. I'm Morgan Chesky, in for Lester. We begin tonight with the growing investigation into a deadly plane crash on a commercial flight bound for Russia and how dozens on board somehow survived. Witnesses capturing the terrifying moments on cell phone video showing the Embraer 190 passenger jets rapid descent in Kazakhstan followed mere seconds later by a fiery impact. The flight departing from Azerbaijan was bound for the Russian city of Grozny, what's typically a 90-minute flight when it crashed well off course. Local authorities report at least 38 people were killed, including both pilots. But tonight we've learned as many as 29 people, including three children, survived that initial crash,

some even walking away from that horrific scene. Russian aviation officials say a bird strike may have been to blame, but the cause remains under investigation. Our Kelly Kobieya starts us off. A terrifying scene in the skies over the Caspian Sea. An Azerbaijan Airlines jet precariously flying across the sky, sharply losing altitude, then apparently trying to straighten out before crashing in a fiery explosion. A large section of the Embraer 190 fuselage still intact. A shocked survivor stumbling out still on his feet as others rushed past into the wreckage to rescue more passengers. Incredibly, at least 29 people survived the initial crash, including three children.

Families of some of the 67 on board searched for news of their loved ones at an airport in Russia. This man, who had a relative on the plane, saying, we just got photos and videos of him. He is safe and healthy and walking. The flight took off from Baku, Azerbaijan, early this morning, bound for the Chechen capital of Grozny in southern Russia. Russian state media said the aircraft was diverted due to fog. The site Flightradar24's tracking data showed the plane making a figure eight near the airport in Kazakhstan, then sharply

gaining and losing altitude in the final minutes before impact. Video from inside the plane as it was still in the air shows people calm, even after oxygen masks had been released. The Russian aviation authority quickly blaming an apparent bird strike for the loss of control and devastating crash. A flock of birds famously brought down U.S. Airways Flight 1549 back in 2009, the so-called miracle on the Hudson. And earlier this month, an American Airlines flight out of New York had to turn back for an emergency landing after a bird strike. The exact number of dead tonight,

still unclear as emergency workers recover bodies and investigators begin their search for clues. And Kelly joins us now. Kelly, there have been multiple investigations launched here. So where do things stand tonight? That's right, Morgan. The airline says it's actually shut down that route until its investigation is concluded. This is questions and widespread speculation swirl about what brought down that plane. A relative of one of the survivors told Russian state-owned media THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OFF THE PLANE AND THE PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN OFF THE PLANE. THE PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN OFF THE PLANE. A RELATIVE OF ONE OF THE

SURVIVORS TOLD RUSSIAN STATE OWNED MEDIA THE PASSENGERS HEARD A LOUD BANG LIKE AN EXPLOSION BEFORE THE CRASH. MORGAN. ALL RIGHT, KELLY, WE THANK YOU. OUT OF THE DANGEROUS WEATHER

CONDITIONS HITTING MILLIONS THIS HOLIDAY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR NATION'S NORTHWEST. OUR OWN DANA GRIFFIN HAS MORE FROM SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, THE SITE OF THAT TERRIFYING WORF Dana Griffin has more from Santa Cruz, California, the site of that terrifying wharf collapse. Dana. Morgan, good evening. That restroom building that broke off from that wharf and was once floating in the ocean is now sitting on the beach, this region bracing for a winter blast after what already has been a brutal week. Snow blanketing northern California brought travel on Interstate 80 to a crawl as plow trucks worked to clear roads.

Massive waves plunging part of the Santa Cruz Wharf into the ocean. Oh my God. Daring rescues saving crew members thrust into the water. The whole end of the wharf just fell in, Mom. That's insane. Winter alerts now in effect in Washington State, Oregon, and California, with one to three feet of snow expected in the Cascade Mountains. And farther south, 12 million at risk for severe storms tomorrow

across portions of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. That region hit with plum-sized hail earlier this week. And in Utah. Thank you for saving my life. Two brothers out having fun while snowmobiling are lucky to be alive. Brayden Hanson saved his brother Hunter, who was buried in an avalanche Christmas Eve. It felt like you were in a washing machine, just tumbled, and then it just compacted into what felt like concrete. Couldn't breathe. Beacons the brothers were carrying allowed them to find each other. I could see his hand, his gloves kind of poking out, waving.

But by the time I got to him, he was about two feet. His head was about two feet under the snow. I told him I was on my last breath. I mean, I tried to hold it in as much as I could and you know, I just, just stuck. Hunter, grateful he could make it home to his wife and young daughter for Christmas. Dana Griffin, NBC News. We are learning more tonight about a grim discovery on a United Airlines flight that landed in Hawaii. Workers found a body in the wheel well of one of the main landing gears. It happened yesterday after the plane touched down in Maui from Chicago. United says it's not sure how or when the person got in there, but it is working with authorities on the investigation. Overseas now to Ukraine,

where Christmas Day was darkened by new attacks from Russia. A barrage of missiles targeting the power grid now leaves nearly half a million Ukrainians in the cold. And President Zelensky calling the timing of the attack inhuman. Now nearly three years into the war, it marks yet another escalation in this brutal conflict. Here's NBC's Erin McLaughlin. As the war approaches its third devastating year, the fight intensifies, with President Putin claiming his troops are gaining ground every day. The Ukrainians say those gains come at a high price for Russia. I see how much troops Russians lose and how small piece of lands they took.

Ukrainian soldier Alexei asked we withhold his last name for security reasons. He's been on the front lines in his country's battered east. It sounds like a living hell. We are soldiers, we understand that it's war, but for civilians, it's very hard. Ukraine is also losing ground in the Russian region of Kursk, captured by Ukrainian forces during a surprise offensive over the summer. According to a senior U.S. military official, the Kremlin has moved 12,000 North Korean troops into the region, helping the Russians reclaim 40 percent of their lost

territory. Clearly, Russia has massively accelerated its war effort against Ukraine, but we can see that they are going through record losses. Andriy Zagorodnyuk is Ukraine's former defense minister. He believes the latest Russian onslaught is timed to the late January inauguration of President-elect Trump. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, President-elect of Ukraine, It's got to stop. STEPHANIE SY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, ANGELA ZHUKARODNYUK, who has said he can end the war in one day.

STEPHANIE SY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, ANGELA ZHUKARODNYUK, Is that possible? ANGELA ZHUKARODNYUK, President-elect of Ukraine, Ukrainian people don't want war. If there is an end to war, it needs to be genuine. It needs THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT WAR. IF THERE IS AN END TO WAR, IT NEEDS TO BE GENUINE. IT NEEDS NOT TO BE AN OPERATIONAL POSITION DURING WHICH RUSSIA CAN GET MORE TROOPS, THEN THE NEXT OFFENSE WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN THIS ONE. STEPHANIE SY, WASHINGTON POST, A POSSIBILITY THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON AID WORKER KATARINA TERAKOVA, WHO IS DEDICATING HER LIFE TO HELPING THE ESTIMATED 10 MILLION DISPLACED UKRAINIANS. created 10 million displaced Ukrainians. VLADIMIR PUTIN, Ukrainian President and President of the United States of America What that war stolen from a lot of Ukrainians, this is a feeling, the roots, the roots with the connection with your hometowns, with the small villages where a lot of people was burned.

STEPHANIE SY, Ukrainian President and President of the United States of America How long can the Ukrainian people endure this? VLADIMIR PUTIN, Ukrainian President and President of the United States of America You know, if you asking lots of Ukrainians, all of us will be answering you. We will stand by the victory. This is our homeland. We need to be strong. What happens next is seen as a test, not just of Ukrainian strength, but also of how the new Trump administration will respond. Erin McLaughlin, NBC News.

And the war rages on. We are back in 60 seconds with Apple on the verge of a major new milestone. We'll look at its brand new frontier, your home. Stick around. And welcome back. When markets open tomorrow morning, it could bring a historic milestone for a computer giant Apple, poised to become the first publicly traded company worth $4 trillion. Sam Brock has that and the new tech Apple is hoping to bring right inside your home. Even for a brand as iconic as Apple. Apple shares closing in a new high as its market cap closes in on $4 trillion. A new milestone looms that would once again smash expectations of what's possible.

The Cupertino company started in 1976 by two friends, both named Steve, is now on the verge of the $4 trillion market cap threshold, a first for a publicly traded company. Today, Apple became the first U.S. public company valued at a trillion dollars. And a meteoric leap, considering Apple touched a trillion dollars just a little more than six years ago. Now sitting a half trillion dollars ahead of the world's second most valuable company, chipmaker NVIDIA. One more thing.

Though its epic product releases have been part of the cultural zeitgeist for years. You want a T-Rex on a surfboard? You've got a T-Rex on a surfboard. It's the company's recent splash into AI and Apple intelligence, which analysts believe will supercycle more iPhone upgrades and a second foray into the smart home appliance market. Reports now say, though, Apple's going to take another crack at this space. That could challenge powerhouses Amazon and Nest on everything from doorbells to security camps.

Even though not every Apple product has been a home run, its ability to adapt and grow continues to defy expectations, possibly creating the world's first $4 trillion company. Sam Brock, NBC News. Coming up next, it's on your money. It's on the White House seal. Now the bald eagle takes its rightful place as our national bird. Coming up next, it's on your money. It's on the White House seal. Now the bald eagle takes its rightful place as our national bird. And we just couldn't resist our first look at the brand new baby hippo making one big holiday debut. Stay with us.

And we're back now on a day marking two important holidays for people of faith, Christmas and the start of Hanukkah. It's the first time in nearly 20 years they've fallen on the same day. That giant menorah on our National Mall lighting up for Judaism's eight-night Festival of Lights. And it is official tonight. The United States now has our own national bird. President Biden signed a bill this week designating the bald eagle with the honors and it, of course, soared through Congress unanimously. The eagle, long a symbol for the USA, never actually been designated officially. There is still no comment tonight from the humble turkey, however, which Ben Franklin once called, quote, a much more respectable bird. And it was a Christmas

wish come true at Virginia's Metro Richmond Zoo. A brand new rare pygmy hippo calf born earlier this month. There she is, clocked in at a healthy 15 pounds and could get up to a whopping 600 pounds before it's all said and done. Now, she hasn't been named just yet. For now, she's spending time bonding with her mother in private, but rest assured when the time's right, she will be moved where zoo visitors can celebrate her arrival. When we come back, a final holiday message from her own Lester Holt and a tribute to the hardworking team that gets this broadcast on the air each and every night. Hi, everyone. It's Lester. I'm off for a bit and grateful to have some time to recharge and spend extra time with family.

In case you're wondering, I do follow the news closely even when I'm off because, well, that's what I do. And as all my colleagues who are working can now attest, the world certainly doesn't stand still and we never close around here. So now we reflect on another year nearing its end and the stories and events that dominated the national conversation, from a historic presidential election that deepened the political divide to a solar eclipse that united us in pure wonder. Remember that? And then there were the disasters that upended lives, post-hurricane floods in the southeast and the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. We don't know what 2025 will bring, but know that we stand ready to cover it.

Nothing is more important to us than earning your trust. On behalf of all the journalists at NBC News scattered around the world this and every day, yes, holidays included, thank you for making us your choice for news each evening. Please take care of yourself and each other. Now, I'd like you to meet our remarkable team behind this broadcast. Happy holidays. Thank you. សូវាប់បានប្រាប់បានប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប់ប្រាប� Thank you. សូវាប់ពីបានប់ពីបានប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប� ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത� Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. Happy Holidays from all of us at NBC News.