Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash: Kazakh Official Says No Foreign Law Enforcement Agencies Will Participate in Investigation
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev announced on Thursday that law enforcement agencies from Azerbaijan and Russia will not be allowed to participate in the forensic investigation of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane crash near the city of Aktau. According to Bozumbayev, this decision is based on procedures indicated in Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code.
The crash occurred on Wednesday, involving an AZAL flight with 67 people on board, traveling from Baku to Grozny in the Russian Republic of Chechnya. The plane crashed about 3 kilometers from Aktau, resulting in 38 fatalities and 29 survivors.
Bozumbayev addressed media reports on the matter, stating that Astana has not received any official versions of the incident from either Baku or Moscow. "Journalistic guesses and research are based on some government sources. We are in constant contact with colleagues from Azerbaijan. No one has told us any versions yet, officially we have not received any version from either Russia or Azerbaijan. Therefore, it is impossible to refute any version," he added.
Earlier on Thursday, senior Azerbaijani officials confirmed to Anadolu the validity of media reports suggesting that the plane crash was caused by a Russian missile system. Azerbaijani media, citing government sources, reported that the preliminary results of the investigation determined that the plane was attacked by a Pantsir missile system as it approached Grozny.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with both Azerbaijan Airlines and Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency pointing to a collision with birds as the cause of the crash. However, footage from the crash site shows large holes in the tail of the plane, sparking speculation that it may have been brought down by an attack.
Investigation Findings
The preliminary findings of the investigation are unclear, with conflicting reports emerging about the cause of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines and Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency have attributed the crash to a collision with birds, while Azerbaijani media reports suggest that the plane was attacked by a Russian missile system.
Conclusion
The investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash is ongoing, and the cause of the crash remains unclear. The decision to exclude law enforcement agencies from Azerbaijan and Russia from the forensic investigation has been made based on procedures in Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code.
FAQs
- What caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash?
The cause of the crash is still unknown and is the subject of an ongoing investigation. - Which countries will be involved in the investigation?
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia will all be involved in the investigation, although law enforcement agencies from Azerbaijan and Russia will not be participating in the forensic investigation. - How many people were killed in the crash?
38 people were killed in the crash, with 29 others surviving. - What was the cause of the crash according to Azerbaijan Airlines and Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency?
According to both agencies, the cause of the crash was a collision with birds.