Azerbaijan Airlines reported that "external physical and technical interference" was responsible for the plane crash in Kazakhstan, which resulted in the deaths of 38 out of 67 individuals on board.

 

On Christmas Day, an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines departed from Baku heading to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya. Due to fog, the plane was denied landing in Grozny and diverted over the Caspian Sea, ultimately crashing near Aktau city in Kazakhstan, leading to 38 fatalities and 29 survivors.

 

Subsequent reports suggested that a Russian surface-to-air missile might have caused the tragic incident, forcing the aircraft to veer off course before crashing into an open field. It was indicated that the missile was "accidentally fired" at the plane, a claim that has been dismissed by the Kremlin.

 

An investigation is ongoing; however, a pro-government Azerbaijani news outlet, Caliber, cited unnamed officials stating that a missile from a Pantsir-S air defense system brought down the aircraft. Videos from the crash site revealed damage to the plane's nose and shrapnel marks, as noted by military and aviation experts in various international media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Euronews, and AFP.

 

The flight J28243 connects Baku with Grozny, a city in Chechnya known for being targeted by Ukrainian drones and heavily defended by anti-aircraft systems like surface-to-air missiles. Earlier reports from flight tracking service FlightRadar24 indicated that the aircraft experienced significant GPS jamming without clarifying the cause. The plane struggled to maintain altitude for an hour, with its vertical speed data showing a consistent altitude followed by a sudden drop before crashing.

 

In light of safety concerns, Azerbaijan Airlines announced on Friday it would suspend flights to several Russian airports.