BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 26. Preliminary reports suggest that a Russian missile was the cause of the plane crash in Aktau, says Euronews, citing its sources, Trend reports.
Euronews reports that a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane near Aktau.
According to sources, the missile was launched at flight 8432 during drone activity over Grozny.
"Missile fragments struck the passengers and crew, detonating close to the aircraft mid-flight," the sources revealed.
It was also reported that the plane’s GPS navigation systems were jammed throughout its route over the sea.
On December 25, an Embraer 190 passenger plane operated by AZAL, flying from Baku to Grozny, crashed 3 kilometers from Aktau Airport.
The flight carried 67 people, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members.
Following the crash, 27 people were hospitalized. Among them, 15 were citizens of Azerbaijan, 8 of Russia, and 3 of Kyrgyzstan. The identity of one individual remains unknown.
Of those hospitalized, 11 are being treated in intensive care, 13 in the trauma department, 2 in neurosurgery, and 1 in the surgical ward. They are under the care of experienced doctors from Kazakhstan, as well as specialists sent from Azerbaijan and Russia, and have received prompt medical and psychological support.
Both pilots and a flight attendant were killed in the crash, while two other crew members survived.
Azerbaijan declared December 26 a national day of mourning.
The plane’s black box has been recovered, and its analysis is being conducted under international aviation conventions. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with final conclusions expected after all necessary research and data analysis are completed.