Azerbaijan Airlines has stated that "external physical and technical interference" led to the plane crash in Kazakhstan, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people out of the 67 on board.
On Christmas, an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines took off from Baku, heading to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region. However, the plane was not allowed to land in Grozny due to heavy fog and was diverted far across the Caspian Sea.
The plane eventually crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people, while 29 survived.
Reports soon suggested that a Russian surface-to-air missile might have accidentally caused the crash, forcing the aircraft off course and causing it to crash in an open field. This theory has been denied by the Kremlin, which has warned against it.
An investigation is still ongoing, but an Azerbaijani pro-government website, Caliber, cited unnamed officials claiming that a missile from a Pantsir-S air defense system brought down the plane.
Videos from the crash site showed damage to the plane, with holes in the nose and signs of missile shrapnel, as reported by military and aviation experts from sources like the Wall Street Journal, Euronews, and AFP.
The flight, J28243, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, travels between Baku and Grozny, a city in Russia's Chechnya region. This area has been targeted by Ukrainian drones and is heavily defended by anti-aircraft weapons, including surface-to-air missiles.
Also Read: 35 dead in plane crash near Kazakhstan's Aktau
Online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft experienced GPS jamming, but it did not provide further details. For about an hour, the plane struggled to maintain its altitude. Its altitude data showed it holding steady, then suddenly dropping and fluctuating before it crashed.
Azerbaijan Airlines announced that it would suspend flights to several Russian airports due to potential flight safety risks.
One passenger, Subhonkul Rakhimov, told Reuters that he heard a loud bang as the plane approached Grozny.
He said, “I thought the plane was going to fall apart,” adding that after hearing the noise, he started reciting prayers in preparation for the worst. He described the plane’s behavior as if it was "drunk," saying, “It was as if it was drunk—not the same plane anymore.”
Russia has stated that an investigation is underway. However, sources told Reuters that Russia's air defenses may have mistakenly shot the plane down. Russia's aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said the plane's captain was offered alternative airports to land at but chose Aktau in Kazakhstan.
The damage to the plane has drawn comparisons to the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down by a Russian-backed missile over Ukraine. All 298 people on board that flight were killed.
Also Read: Azerbaijan airlines plane possibly shot by Russia: Report
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