The Russian government has warned against speculating on the causes of the deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. Authorities cautioned that promoting unverified “hypotheses” could interfere with the investigation.
Crash Details
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was bound for Russia, tragically crashed near Aktau in Kazakhstan. According to aviation experts, the plane may have been struck by an air defense missile over Chechnya, a region in Russia. Azerbaijani state media later quoted officials blaming a Russian missile. Prior to the crash, the plane had been rerouted over the Caspian Sea from its original path.
Casualties and National Mourning
Out of the 67 people on board, 29 survived. In response to the tragedy, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning on Thursday. “This is a great tragedy that has become a tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people,” President Ilham Aliyev said.
Kremlin Warns Against Speculation
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged caution, stating, “It would be wrong to put forward any hypotheses before the investigation’s conclusions.” He further emphasized, “We need to wait until the investigation is completed.”
Flight Path and Incident
The plane initially took off from Baku, heading toward Grozny in Chechnya. However, due to dense fog, it was rerouted. A survivor later reported that the pilot attempted to land twice but an explosion occurred on the third attempt, causing part of the plane to be damaged.
As a result, the plane was redirected to Aktau, located 450 km away. Footage from the scene shows the plane descending rapidly, landing about 3 km short of the runway, before bursting into flames.
Investigation and Theories
Kazakh authorities have recovered the flight data recorder, and an investigation is now underway. Initially, Russian state TV speculated that a bird strike caused the crash. However, aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia dismissed this theory, explaining that such a strike typically does not cause a plane to veer wildly off course.
In contrast, risk expert Justin Crump pointed to the damage on the plane, suggesting it looked “very much like the detonation of an air defense missile to the rear and to the left of the aircraft.”
Update on the Investigation
Later on Thursday, Azerbaijan’s state-run AnewZ channel reported that a preliminary investigation found shrapnel from a Russian Pantsir-S missile. The chief prosecutor’s office confirmed that all possibilities are being thoroughly examined.
Regional Tensions
This tragic incident occurred amid rising tensions in the region. Chechnya has recently faced Ukrainian drone strikes. Moreover, authorities in Ingushetia reported a drone strike for the first time since the war in Ukraine began.
Survivors and Passengers
Most of the passengers were Azerbaijani nationals, though there were also passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Video footage showed survivors escaping the wreckage, some with visible injuries. Seven survivors were stable enough to return to Baku, as reported by Azerbaijan’s Azertac news agency.
Aircraft’s Maintenance Record
Azerbaijan Airlines confirmed that the aircraft had been fully serviced in October and experienced no technical issues. Embraer, the Brazilian manufacturer, is well-known for its strong safety record.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to explore all possible causes of the tragic crash.
