Azerbaijan Airlines says aircraft faced ‘physical and technical external interference’ ahead of deadly crash

Azerbaijan Airlines indicated on Friday that its passenger jet experienced “physical and technical external interference” before crashing in Kazakhstan.

Announcing the suspension of flights to 10 Russian airports, Azerbaijan Airlines said, the decision was “based on the preliminary results of the investigation into the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft operating the Baku-Grozny flight J2-8243 of Azerbaijan Airlines due to physical and technical external interference.”

Two passengers on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan told Reuters that they heard at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination of Grozny in southern Russia.

Investigation underway amid drone attack claims

The tragic crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines flight on December 26, 2024, has raised suspicions of a possible connection to a Ukrainian drone attack, with Russia’s aviation chief confirming that a drone strike was underway in the region around the time of the incident.

The flight, en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, encountered difficulties while attempting to land in dense fog. After two unsuccessful landing attempts, the captain diverted the aircraft toward Kazakhstan but tragically crashed while attempting to land in Aktau. The crash resulted in 38 fatalities, with 29 survivors left injured.

Russian aviation chief Dmitry Yadrov said that Ukrainian drones were targeting the Russian region where the flight was heading. He stated that air traffic in the area was temporarily suspended as a result. However, Yadrov refrained from commenting on claims made by Azerbaijani lawmaker Rasim Musabekov and some aviation experts, who suggested that Russian air defences might have mistakenly shot down the plane in response to the Ukrainian drone attacks.

Musabekov had earlier suggested that the crash was caused by Russian fire in response to Ukrainian drone strikes. He called for Russia to issue an official apology, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment, stating that the investigation should determine the cause of the crash.

The crash occurred amid ongoing military tensions, and the investigation is expected to shed light on whether the plane was hit by Russian fire or if other factors contributed to the tragedy. Authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have kept quiet about the specifics and await the official probe's findings.

Yadrov highlighted the difficult circumstances surrounding the crash, noting that the foggy conditions near Grozny contributed to the challenges faced by the crew. The investigation into the cause of the crash continues, with many details yet to be confirmed.

(With AP inputs)