Azerbaijan flight accidently shot down by Russian missile?
ASTANA: Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan killing 38 people on Wednesday. According to some foreign media outlets, the plane was brought down in a purported Russian missile attack. Holes were found on the exterior of the plane and scars on the tail, similar to missile hit marks. The plane crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
The airlines was supposed to fly from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny in the Chechnya region of southern Russia. The plane was flying across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan after being denied permission to land in Grozny due to bad weather. Meanwhile, the pilot of the plane sought permission for an emergency landing at Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan. It is unclear why the request was made. The plane crashed 3 km away from Aktau Airport. Meanwhile, Russia has come out against the reports.
Grozny is the site of a recent Ukrainian drone attack. There were also Ukrainian drone strikes on Wednesday morning in two areas near Chechnya. It is suspected that the Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the region mistook the aircraft for a Ukrainian drone and shot it down. 29 people miraculously survived the accident. They are under treatment. Some of the passengers who survived said that the pilot tried to land twice in Grozny and the third time they heard an explosion outside the plane.
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have started separate investigations into the incident. The aircraft's black box has been received.
- Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer flight J2-8243 took off from Baku to Grozny in southern Russia with 62 passengers and 5 crew members
- After being denied permission to land in Grozny, the flight crossed the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, the plane disappeared from the radar for some time. No location data was received. The aircraft reappeared on the radar and headed for Aktau Airport for an emergency landing
- The flight suddenly nosedived and crashed. The rear passengers who were ejected escaped uninjured
- The plane crashed 3 km from Aktau Airport on the coast of the Caspian Sea
- Russian aviation authorities said that the plane attempted an emergency landing due to a bird strike