The Russian government has issued a warning against engaging in speculations about the recent crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that resulted in 38 fatalities in Kazakhstan. Experts in aviation have suggested that the Embraer 190 aircraft could have been struck by air defense systems while flying over Chechnya, a notion echoed by some pro-government media in Azerbaijan attributing blame to Russian missiles. Before the disaster, the plane had to be rerouted due to fog and was headed towards Aktau in western Kazakhstan.
Of the 67 people aboard, 29 managed to survive. Following the calamity, President Ilham Aliyev declared a national day of mourning for the victims. “This is a great tragedy that has become a tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people,” he stated. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against forming "hypotheses" before the investigation concludes, underscoring the necessity for accuracy.
The chief prosecutor in Kazakhstan confirmed that the investigation has yet to reach definitive conclusions. However, reports from Azerbaijani media outlets suggest a growing expectation for Russia to acknowledge responsibility for the incident. Some channels began featuring commentary from experts hinting that a Russian missile might have played a role, with one outlet alleging that debris from a missile hit the plane. Despite these assertions, the Azerbaijani government appears hesitant to confront Russia directly, likely due to geopolitical sensitivities.
The investigation into the crash will consider all possibilities, according to the chief prosecutor’s office in Baku. Russian officials will face scrutiny over their decisions, including the handling of airspace amidst military operations, as evidence reportedly points towards potential involvement from Russian air defense systems.
On the day of the crash, the Embraer 190 took off from Baku and instead of reaching its intended destination in Grozny, the flight was diverted due to poor weather conditions. A surviving passenger recounted that the pilot attempted multiple landings in dense fog before catastrophe struck. Videos later revealed the aircraft plummeting towards the earth, igniting upon impact.
Kazakh authorities are actively pursuing an investigation and have retrieved the flight data recorder, but early conjectures from Russian state media suggested a bird strike as a possible cause. Aviation analysts contend that such a collision would not typically lead to a sudden directional change, further complicating the incident.
In recent weeks, Chechnya has witnessed escalated military activity, including drone strikes, underscoring the tense environment in the region. Among the passengers, most were Azerbaijani, with others from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and while survivors were rushed to hospitals, some have since been discharged for a return to Baku.
While Azerbaijan Airlines assures that the aircraft was updated and serviceable before takeoff, questions remain surrounding safety protocols. Embraer, the aircraft's manufacturer, retains a solid safety reputation but now faces scrutiny following this incident that has sparked a tragedy.
