Crew members and survivors of the Azerbaijan Airways airplane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day say they heard at the very least one loud bang earlier than the plane crashed in a ball of fireside, heightening hypothesis {that a} Russian anti-aircraft missile might have been chargeable for the tragedy.
It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for the “tragic incident” though he fell wanting admitting accountability for the catastrophe.
The Embraer 190 passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed close to the town of Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from an space of southern Russia the place Moscow has repeatedly used air protection programs towards Ukrainian assault drones. Not less than 38 folks had been killed whereas 29 survived.
Subhonkul Rakhimov, one of many passengers aboard Flight J2-8243, advised Reuters from the hospital that he had begun to recite prayers and put together for the top after listening to a bang.
Proof assortment efforts are underway on the crash website of an Azerbaijan Airways (AZAL) passenger airplane close to Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 27, 2024. (Meiramgul Kussainova/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)
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“After the bang…I assumed the airplane was going to collapse,” Rakhimov advised the outlet. “It was apparent that the airplane had been broken ultimately. It was as if it was drunk – not the identical airplane anymore.”
Surviving passenger Vafa Shabanova mentioned that there have been “two explosions within the sky, and an hour and a half later the airplane crashed to the bottom.”
One other survivor, Jerova Salihat, advised Azerbaijani tv in an interview within the hospital that “one thing exploded” close to her leg, per the Related Press.
Flight attendant Aydan Rahimli , in the meantime, mentioned that after one noise, the oxygen masks routinely launched. She mentioned that she went to carry out first assist on a colleague, Zulfugar Asadov, after which they heard one other bang.
Asadov mentioned that the noises gave the impression of one thing hitting the airplane from exterior. Shortly afterward, he sustained a sudden damage like a “deep wound, the arm was lacerated as if somebody hit me within the arm with an ax,” he added. He denied a declare from Kazakh officers that an oxygen canister exploded contained in the airplane.
Asadov mentioned a touchdown was denied in Grozny as a consequence of fog, so the pilot circled, at which level there have been bangs exterior the plane. The plane’s two pilots died within the crash.
“The pilot had simply lifted the plane up once I heard a bang from the left wing. There have been three bangs,” he advised Reuters.
Flight J2-8243 had flown a whole lot of miles off its scheduled path to crash on the other shore of the Caspian Sea.
Video of the crash confirmed the airplane descending quickly earlier than bursting into flames because it hit the seashore, and thick black smoke then rising, Reuters reported. Bloodied and bruised passengers could possibly be seen stumbling from a chunk of the fuselage that had remained intact. Holes could possibly be seen within the airplane’s tail part.
Greater than 30 are feared lifeless following the crash close to the Kazakhstani metropolis of Aktau. (Azamat Sarsenbayev)
IT’S ‘VERY UNCLEAR’ WHAT HAPPENED IN AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES CRASH, EX-STATE DEPT OFFICIAL SAYS
On Saturday, Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by way of a telephone name “for the truth that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace,” in line with a Kremlin readout of the decision.
“(President) Vladimir Putin apologized for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and as soon as once more expressed his deep and honest condolences to the households of the victims and wished a speedy restoration to the injured,” the Kremlin mentioned in a press release.
“At the moment, Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz had been being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial automobiles, and Russian air protection programs repelled these assaults,” the Kremlin mentioned. The Kremlin mentioned the decision passed off at Putin’s request.
On Friday, White Home Nationwide Safety spokesperson John Kirby advised reporters that the U.S. had seen some early indications that “would definitely level to the chance that this jet was introduced down by Russian air protection programs.” He refused to elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation.
Azerbaijani minister Rashad Nabiyev additionally advised the airplane was hit by a weapon, citing skilled evaluation and survivor accounts.
Preliminary outcomes of Azerbaijan’s probe into the deadly incident recommend the plane was struck by a Russian anti-aircraft missile, or shrapnel from such a missile, people briefed on the investigation famous, in line with The Wall Road Journal.
A supply accustomed to Azerbaijan’s probe advised Reuters that preliminary outcomes indicated the plane was hit by a Russian Pantsir-S air protection system — digital warfare programs paralyzed communications on the plane’s method to Grozny, the supply acknowledged, in line with the outlet.
“Nobody claims that it was achieved on function. Nevertheless, making an allowance for the established info, Baku expects the Russian facet to admit to the taking pictures down of the Azerbaijani plane,” the supply famous, in line with Reuters.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to touch upon the claims that the airplane was hit by Russian air defenses, saying that it is going to be as much as investigators to find out the reason for the crash.
Russia’s aviation watchdog mentioned on Friday the airplane had determined to reroute from its authentic vacation spot in Chechnya amid dense fog and an area alert over Ukrainian drones. The company mentioned the captain had been supplied different airports at which to land, however had chosen Kazakhstan’s Aktau.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov lays a bunch of flowers on the Consulate of Azerbaijan within the reminiscence of victims of the Azerbaijan Airways’ Embraer 190 that crashed close to the Kazakhstan’s airport of Aktau, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Picture/Dmitri Lovetsky)
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In the meantime, Azerbaijan Airways has suspended flights to eight further Russian airports after the tragedy.
The airline famous in a publish on X that starting Dec. 28, flights from Baku to eight Russian airports have been suspended. The announcement comes along with the prior suspension of flights between Baku and two different Russian airports.
Fox Information’ Alex Nitzberg, Pilar Arias, Elizabeth Pritchett, the Related Press in addition to Reuters contributed to this report.
