Thu Dec 26 12:18:08 UTC 2024: ## Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash in Kazakhstan: Missile Strike Suspected
**Aqtau, Kazakhstan –** A Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aqtau, Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The Embraer 190 jet, en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, suffered significant damage consistent with a surface-to-air missile strike, according to multiple military and aviation experts.
The incident has sparked international speculation, with several news outlets citing evidence suggesting the plane may have been accidentally hit by Russian anti-aircraft fire. Videos and images circulating online show large holes in the plane’s fuselage and tail section, resembling shrapnel damage. A Russian military blogger, Yury Podolyaka, noted the damage was similar to that caused by anti-aircraft missiles. Matt Borie, Chief Intelligence Officer at Osprey Flight Solutions, similarly suggested anti-aircraft fire as the cause based on wreckage analysis and airspace security conditions. Meduza, a Russian media outlet, corroborated these assessments.
Survivors, seated in the tail section, reported hearing loud explosions before the crash. While the UK’s Telegraph attributed these to exploding oxygen tanks, the timing and context suggest a possible missile strike. One passenger video shows a woman with apparent shrapnel injuries.
The plane, initially believed by Azerbaijan Airlines to have been struck by birds (a claim later retracted), experienced difficulties maintaining altitude before crashing three kilometers from Aqtau airport. The black box has been recovered.
While the Kremlin dismissed speculation as premature, pending the investigation, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev declared a national day of mourning and cancelled a planned visit to Russia. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and ordered a thorough investigation. Kazakh officials also stated their commitment to a transparent investigation.
The possibility of a missile strike evokes parallels to the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, also attributed to a surface-to-air missile. The incident occurred in an area with reported Ukrainian drone activity and heavy Russian air defenses, raising the possibility of misidentification. Reports suggest Grozny, the destination city, had been targeted by Ukrainian drones weeks earlier. The investigation is ongoing.
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