Crew members and survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines 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 fireplace, heightening hypothesis {that a} Russian anti-aircraft missile could have been liable for the tragedy.
The Embraer 190 passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed close to 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. At least 38 folks have been killed whereas 29 survived.
Subhonkul Rakhimov, one of many passengers aboard Flight J2-8243, informed Reuters from the hospital that he had begun to recite prayers and put together for the tip after listening to a bang.
Evidence assortment efforts are underway on the crash web site of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger airplane close to Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 27, 2024. (Meiramgul Kussainova/Anadolu by way of Getty Images)
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“After the bang…I assumed the airplane was going to crumble,” Rakhimov informed 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 stated that there have been “two explosions within the sky, and an hour and a half later the airplane crashed to the bottom.”
Another survivor, Jerova Salihat, informed Azerbaijani tv in an interview within the hospital that “one thing exploded” close to her leg, per the Associated Press.
Flight attendant Aydan Rahimli , in the meantime, stated that after one noise, the oxygen masks routinely launched. She stated that she went to carry out first support on a colleague, Zulfugar Asadov, after which they heard one other bang.
Asadov stated that the noises gave the impression of one thing hitting the airplane from exterior. Shortly afterward, he sustained a sudden harm 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 stated a touchdown was denied in Grozny as a result 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 informed 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.
More than 30 are feared lifeless following the crash close to the Kazakhstani metropolis of Aktau. (Azamat Sarsenbayev)
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On Friday, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby informed 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 professional 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 Street Journal.
A supply acquainted with Azerbaijan’s probe informed 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.
“No one claims that it was completed on objective. However, taking into consideration the established details, 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 will likely be as much as investigators to find out the reason for the crash.
Russia’s aviation watchdog stated on Friday the airplane had determined to reroute from its unique vacation spot in Chechnya amid dense fog and a neighborhood alert over Ukrainian drones. The company stated the captain had been provided 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 Airlines’ Embraer 190 that crashed close to the Kazakhstan’s airport of Aktau, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
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Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to eight further Russian airports after the tragedy.
The airline famous in a submit 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 News’ Alex Nitzberg, Pilar Arias, Elizabeth Pritchett, the Associated Press in addition to Reuters contributed to this report.
