December 27th 2024.
Experts in the aviation industry have revealed that the tragic crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan may have been caused by a strike from Russian air defence systems. Of the 67 individuals on board, 38 lost their lives in the incident. Here are some important details to know about the crash.
The Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 was on its way from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny in the North Caucasus region of Russia on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons that are still unclear. As it was attempting to land in Aktau, Kazakhstan, after crossing the Caspian Sea, the plane crashed near the coast, about three kilometres from the airport. Shocking footage captured by mobile phones showed the aircraft descending rapidly before hitting the ground and bursting into flames. Thankfully, 29 passengers were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals.
In response to the devastating incident, Azerbaijan declared a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday. The country came to a standstill as national flags flew at half-mast, traffic stopped at noon, and sirens echoed from ships and trains. At a press conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that bad weather conditions may have forced the pilots to alter their planned route.
Authorities from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia are all conducting investigations into the crash. The aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, has offered their assistance to the relevant authorities. According to Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, initial findings suggest that the pilots altered their course to Aktau after a bird strike caused an emergency on board. However, some officials have pointed fingers at Russia, including Azerbaijani lawmaker, Rasim Musabekov, who accused them of firing upon the plane and demanded an official apology.
Aviation experts have analyzed the fragments of the crashed plane and believe that there is a high probability of it being hit by a surface-to-air missile from Russian air defence systems. Osprey Flight Solutions, a UK-based aviation security firm, warned their clients that the plane was likely shot down by a Russian military air defence system. CEO Andrew Nicholson revealed that they have issued over 200 alerts regarding drone attacks and air defence systems in Russia since the ongoing conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022. FlightRadar24, a popular flight tracking service, also reported that the aircraft faced GPS jamming, which interfered with the tracking data and prevented them from monitoring the flight's path. Russia has been known to use advanced jamming equipment to counter drone attacks.
Yan Matveyev, a military expert from Russia, noted that the damage seen in the images of the plane's tail is consistent with shrapnel from the Russian Pantsyr-S1 air defence system. It is unclear why the pilots chose to fly towards the Caspian Sea instead of attempting to land in Russia after the plane was hit. Matveyev suggests that they may have faced restrictions on landing at a closer airport and may have believed that the damage was not critical. In Azerbaijan, the Caliber online newspaper also alleged that the plane was targeted by a Russian Pantsyr-S air defence system and had its systems disrupted by jamming equipment as it approached Grozny.
Despite these speculations, the Kremlin has urged against making any assumptions before the investigators release their official findings. Officials from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have also refrained from commenting on the possible cause of the crash, stating that it is up to the investigators to determine. In the meantime, people can stay updated on all the latest developments surrounding this tragic event by downloading the 9News app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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