Azerbaijani government sources on Thursday confirmed to Euronews that a Russian surface-to-air missile was behind the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau on Wednesday. The plane crash left 38 people dead, according to the country’s Emergency Ministry. The aircraft, which was reportedly operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was flying from Baku to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya. However, due to dense fog in Grozny, the flight was rerouted, ultimately leading to an emergency landing request before the crash.
Azerbaijan observes nationwide mourning
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the air crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the crash that remained unknown. The national flags were lowered across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.
The plane went down about 3 kilometres (around 2 miles) from Aktau. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft lying upside down in the grass.
What did Azerbaijaini President say?
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course.
“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he said.
Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that preliminary information indicated that the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.
(With agency inputs)
Also Read | Bad weather or bird strike? What went wrong with Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan | VIDEO
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