A tragic aviation incident has occurred as an Azerbaijani airliner crashed in Kazakhstan, resulting in the loss of 38 lives out of the 67 passengers and crew on board. Cellphone footage that emerged online captured the aircraft’s steep descent followed by an explosion upon impact, illuminating the sky with a fireball.
The Embraer 190, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was on its route from Baku, the Azerbaijani capital, to Grozny, a city in Russia’s North Caucasus, when the flight was unexpectedly diverted. The diversion led the plane to attempt a landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan. However, the aircraft crashed approximately 3 kilometers from the coast near Aktau, marking a devastating end to its journey. Rescue teams managed to transport 29 survivors to medical facilities, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy.
In response to the catastrophe, Azerbaijan declared a day of national mourning. The country’s flags were flown at half-mast, transportation halted at noon to honor the victims, and signals were made from ships and trains across the nation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed a news conference, noting that inclement weather had forced the aircraft to deviate from its intended path.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by authorities from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia. While Embraer has expressed readiness to cooperate with the investigations, preliminary reports from Russia’s civil aviation authority suggest a bird strike might have necessitated the emergency diversion to Aktau. There are also allegations regarding the aircraft being possibly targeted by Russian air defense systems during a Ukrainian drone interception. Osprey Flight Solutions, an aviation security firm, highlighted the potential for the plane to have been hit by Russian military air-defense, citing a history of alerts about drone attacks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised against forming conclusions before the investigative bodies release their findings. Similarly, officials from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have refrained from attributing a specific cause to the crash, asserting that investigators will ultimately determine the reasons behind the disaster.
As the investigation unfolds, the global aviation community waits for answers regarding the tragic crash in Kazakhstan. While speculation about the cause continues, the focus remains on understanding the events leading up to the disaster and ensuring safety measures are reinforced to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: Nbcmiami
