Azerbaijani Airlines Plane Crash: Russia’s Aviation Chief Reveals Details
Crash Investigation
Russia’s aviation chief, Dmitry Yadrov, has revealed that an Azerbaijani Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan tried to land in the Chechen city of Grozny as it was being attacked by Ukrainian drones.
Crash Details
The Azerbaijan Airlines jet crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday after attempting to land at its destination in Grozny and then diverting far off course across the Caspian Sea. Thirty-eight of the 67 people on board died, with some reports suggesting the plane could have been accidentally shot at by Russian air defences.
Survivor’s Account
A surviving passenger, Subkhonkul Rakhimov, told Russian TV that an explosion appeared to take place outside the plane, with shrapnel flying in. He said the explosion took place as the plane made a third attempt to land in Grozny in fog.
Russian Aviation Agency’s Statement
Yadrov said in a statement that "the situation on this day and at these hours in the area of Grozny airport was very complex." He added that "Ukrainian attack drones at this time were making terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the cities of Grozny and Vladikavkaz." Yadrov said the Azeri pilot made "two attempts to land the plane in Grozny that were unsuccessful" in "thick fog." "The pilot was offered other airports. He took the decision to go to Aktau airport," he added.
Kremlin’s Response
The Kremlin earlier Friday declined to comment on the deadly crash. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "until the conclusions of the investigation, we do not consider we have the right to make any comments and we will not do so."
Investigation Findings
Some aviation and military experts have pointed to apparent shrapnel damage on the plane wreckage as evidence that it was hit by air defence. Azerbaijan’s pro-government website Caliber and several other media have cited unnamed Azerbaijani officials as saying they believed a Russian missile fired from a Pantsir-S air defence system caused the plane to crash. Ukraine’s presidency said Russia "must be held responsible for the downing" of the plane.
Azerbaijan’s Response
Azerbaijan Airlines said Friday it was suspending flights to 10 Russian cities, "taking into account flight safety risks." Contacted by AFP, Azerbaijani government officials did not respond to questions about the possible causes of the crash. However, Rasim Musabekov, an Azerbaijani lawmaker and member of the parliament’s international relations committee, urged Russia to apologise for the incident.
Conclusion
The investigation into the crash of the Azerbaijani Airlines plane is ongoing, and it is unclear what caused the plane to crash. However, the Russian aviation chief’s statement suggests that the plane was being attacked by Ukrainian drones at the time of the crash. The incident has raised questions about the safety of flights in the region and the role of air defences in the conflict.
FAQs
Q: What happened to the Azerbaijani Airlines plane?
A: The plane crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday after attempting to land at its destination in Grozny and then diverting far off course across the Caspian Sea.
Q: How many people died in the crash?
A: Thirty-eight of the 67 people on board died.
Q: What caused the plane to crash?
A: The investigation is ongoing, but Russian aviation chief Dmitry Yadrov has suggested that the plane was being attacked by Ukrainian drones at the time of the crash.
Q: Has Russia commented on the crash?
A: The Kremlin has declined to comment on the crash until the investigation is complete.
Q: Has Azerbaijan commented on the crash?
A: Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to 10 Russian cities, and a lawmaker has urged Russia to apologise for the incident.