Thu Dec 26 12:16:54 UTC 2024: ## Azerbaijan Airline Crash: Investigation Underway Amidst Conflicting Claims
**Aktau, Kazakhstan/Moscow, Russia** – The investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that killed 38 people on Christmas Day near Aktau, Kazakhstan, is underway, but conflicting reports surrounding the cause are fueling speculation.
While both Russia and Kazakhstan have urged restraint, awaiting the outcome of the official investigation, Ukrainian officials have claimed the Embraer 190 aircraft was shot down by Russian air defenses. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation, cited video footage showing what he alleged were puncture marks on life vests aboard the plane.
This claim is supported by some Russian media outlets and pro-war bloggers who point to images of the wreckage appearing to show holes consistent with shrapnel damage from an anti-aircraft missile. A Kazakh aviation expert also dismissed a bird strike as a likely cause, given the plane’s altitude. Flight data from Flightradar24 indicated unusual flight maneuvers and potential GPS jamming in the final minutes before the crash. Russia has been accused of employing GPS jamming technology in the region.
However, Russian officials have countered these claims. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed the need to await the results of the ongoing investigation. The chair of Kazakhstan’s senate, Ashimbayev Maulen, echoed this sentiment, assuring the public that all information will be made available. The Russian civil aviation authority initially cited a bird strike as a preliminary cause.
The Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, also cautioned against speculation, mentioning that adverse weather conditions forced the plane to deviate from its planned route to Grozny, Chechnya. An official investigation has been launched by Azerbaijan.
The black boxes have been recovered, and Kazakh authorities are working to identify the victims and care for the 29 survivors, 11 of whom remain in critical condition. Russia has already evacuated nine Russian survivors to Moscow. The incident occurred shortly after local officials reported successfully shooting down drones targeting Chechnya, adding fuel to the theory of accidental engagement by air defenses. The conflicting accounts underscore the complexity of determining the crash’s true cause and highlight the sensitivity surrounding the incident.
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