Russia Cautions Against Speculation Following Azerbaijan Airlines Crash
Publisher December 26, 2024 0
The Russian government has issued a warning against speculative theories surrounding the crash of a passenger plane bound for Russia, which killed 38 people in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. The authorities emphasized that it is crucial to avoid promoting “hypotheses” about the cause of the crash until the official investigation is completed.
Some aviation experts have suggested that the plane, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, may have been struck by air defense systems while flying over the Russian republic of Chechnya. Pro-government media outlets in Azerbaijan also reported claims from officials suggesting that a Russian missile could have been responsible for the incident.
The aircraft, an Embraer 190, had taken off from Baku, Azerbaijan, and was initially headed for Grozny, Chechnya. However, due to dense fog in the area, the plane was diverted across the Caspian Sea to western Kazakhstan, where it eventually crashed near the city of Aktau. Of the 67 people on board, 29 survived the tragic accident. In response, Azerbaijan declared a national day of mourning on Thursday to honor those who lost their lives. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed deep sorrow, describing the crash as a devastating tragedy for the nation.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against speculation regarding the cause of the crash. He urged the public to refrain from making assumptions before the investigation reaches its conclusions. “It would be wrong to put forward any hypotheses before the investigation’s conclusions. We, of course, will not do this, and no one should do this. We need to wait until the investigation is completed,” Peskov remarked.
According to Azerbaijan Airlines, the Embraer 190 had departed Baku on Wednesday morning, with its intended destination being Grozny, Russia. Due to the thick fog over Chechnya, the flight was rerouted to Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it crashed shortly before reaching the runway.
A surviving passenger, speaking to Russian television, recalled that the pilot had attempted two landing attempts in Grozny before the plane exploded on the third try. The passenger described seeing a part of the aircraft’s skin blown off during the explosion, adding to the mystery surrounding the cause of the crash.
The plane fell rapidly toward the ground just 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) short of the runway at Aktau. It crashed at high speed, bursting into flames upon impact. Kazakhstan’s authorities have since recovered the flight data recorder, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. Initial reports from Russian state-controlled TV suggested that a bird strike could be to blame, but aviation experts have questioned this possibility. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst, pointed out that bird strikes generally cause planes to glide toward the nearest airport, not veer off course as was seen in this case.
Justin Crump, an expert with the risk advisory firm Sibylline, speculated that the crash could have been caused by an air defense missile, considering the damage pattern observed on the aircraft. “It looks very much like the detonation of an air defense missile to the rear and to the left of the aircraft,” Crump told BBC Radio 4.
Azerbaijan’s pro-government AnewZ channel later reported that an initial investigation suggested the plane may have been hit by shrapnel from a surface-to-air missile, likely fired from Russia’s Pantsir-S defense system. However, the Azerbaijani prosecutor’s office indicated that all possible causes were being explored.
The crash occurred at a time when Chechnya had already been targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes earlier in the month. Additionally, reports indicated that a drone attack in North Ossetia, a neighboring region, had led to the death of one woman when the drone was shot down, raising further concerns about the region’s vulnerability to conflict-related incidents.
The passengers on board the flight were primarily Azerbaijani nationals, although there were also individuals from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Video footage from the crash site showed survivors emerging from the wreckage, some of them with visible injuries. The injured passengers were quickly transported to hospitals, and by Thursday, seven survivors were reported to be in stable enough condition to return to Baku.
Azerbaijan Airlines has confirmed that the plane had been thoroughly serviced in October and had not shown any technical malfunctions prior to the crash. The aircraft’s manufacturer, Embraer, is known for its solid safety record, with the company being a reliable competitor to industry giants like Boeing and Airbus.