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Azerbaijan observed a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the 38 victims of a tragic plane crash that also left 29 survivors injured. The crash occurred when an Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190, traveling from Baku to Grozny, Russia, was diverted due to unclear reasons and crashed while attempting to land in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The plane, which was flying east across the Caspian Sea, went down about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Aktau. Dramatic cellphone footage showed the aircraft making a steep descent before crashing into the ground in a fireball. Another clip showed the wreckage, with the fuselage torn away from the wings and the aircraft upside down in the grass.
In observance of the tragedy, flags were lowered nationwide, and a moment of silence was held at noon, accompanied by signals from ships and trains.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the situation, noting that it was too early to speculate on the crash’s cause. He stated that the weather had forced the plane to divert from its original route, eventually heading toward Aktau, where it crashed during landing.
Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, initially indicated that a bird strike prompted the emergency landing attempt. Kazakh officials confirmed that the passengers included Azerbaijani, Russian, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz nationals. Nine Russian survivors were flown to Moscow for treatment.
As the investigation into the crash began, various theories emerged, with some suggesting that holes in the plane’s tail might indicate it was hit by Russian air defense systems, potentially in response to a Ukrainian drone attack. This speculation stemmed from previous Ukrainian drone attacks on Grozny and other regions of the North Caucasus.
Aviation security firm Osprey Flight Solutions warned that the flight may have been downed by a Russian military air-defense system. The firm’s CEO, Andrew Nicholson, expressed sorrow over the loss of life, highlighting the dangers of drone and air defense system interactions during the ongoing conflict.
However, both Russian and Kazakh officials have cautioned against jumping to conclusions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that it would be premature to speculate before investigators complete their analysis, while Kazakhstan’s parliamentary speaker, Maulen Ashimbayev, dismissed the allegations of air defense fire as unfounded and unethical.
Officials from both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have refrained from commenting on the possible cause, stating that it is for the investigation to determine the truth behind the disaster.
