In brief
Following a devastating aviation incident in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Airlines has indicated that external interference may have contributed to the crash of its Embraer jet, which resulted in multiple fatalities.
Azerbaijan Airlines has released preliminary findings suggesting that "physical and technical external interference" played a pivotal role in the crash of their aircraft in Kazakhstan on December 25, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people. The plane, which descended rapidly and burst into flames just 3 kilometers short of the runway at Aktau airport, had initially attempted to land at Grozny airport in southern Russia. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion before the jet was rerouted over the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, highlighted the volatile situation in Grozny due to Ukrainian combat drones targeting civilian infrastructure. He stated that a "Carpet plan" was activated to ensure the swift departure of aircraft from the area owing to security concerns. He also noted that dense fog was present around Grozny airport. While Azerbaijan Airlines refrained from explicitly blaming Russia in order to maintain diplomatic ties, Azerbaijani aviation experts and media speculated that the crash was caused by shrapnel from a Russian air-defense missile explosion. Veteran pilot Tahir Agaguliev claimed that missile fragments led to a malfunction in the plane's hydraulic system, which is integral to its control.One of the flight attendants, Zulfuqar Asadov, who survived the crash, described the terrifying moments following an external strike that caused severe panic on board. In response to the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to seven Russian cities, previously halting services to Grozny and Makhachkala, and later extending flight cancellations to Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, and Mineralnye Vody. Meanwhile, Israel's national airline, El Al, has opted to suspend all flights to Moscow due to heightened concerns regarding safety in Russian airspace. Ukrainian officials have called for accountability from Russia regarding the crash, while the Kremlin has declined to address claims that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane was impacted by Russian air defense. Tributes have been pouring in from Azerbaijan for the pilots, who lost their lives while heroically managing to land part of the aircraft, thereby saving many passengers. Kazakh authorities are collaborating with Azerbaijan on the ongoing investigation but have withheld specific details. Despite proposals for a regional investigation committee led by Russia and Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan has insisted on an independent international inquiry.
