Azerbaijan Airlines crash: Flight was likely hit by Russian air defence, sources say

Passenger jet crashed after diverting from its destination in southern Russia where Ukrainian drone attacks had put defence systems on alert

Members of an investigation committee and other officials at the wreck of an Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday. AP

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday had been hit earlier by Russian air defences, according to Azerbaijani media and analysts.

The Embraer SA 190 crashed near the city of Aktau while attempting an emergency landing, killing 38 of the 65 passengers and crew on board. It had flown hundreds of kilometres off its scheduled route from Azerbaijan's capital Baku to Grozny, in Russia's southern Chechnya region.

The plane was struck while approaching Grozny, Azerbaijan's government-backed Caliber news website reported, quoting unidentified government officials.

There was no official comment from the Azerbaijan's government.

Sources familiar with the Azerbaijani investigation into the crash told Reuters that preliminary results showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system, and its communications were paralysed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny.

“No one claims that it was done on purpose. However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft,” one of the sources was quoted as saying.

Emergency workers at the site where an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed, near the city of Aktau, in Kazakhstan. Reuters

The plane crashed during an emergency landing. EPA

The Kazakh Transport Ministry said there were 62 passengers and five crew members on board the flight from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. EPA

The plane was heading to Russia, when it was forced to make the emergency landing about 3km from Aktau. AFP

The crash site was hundreds of kilometres off the plane's scheduled route, on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. AP

Emergency specialists work at the crash site. EPA

Debris at the crash site. According to preliminary information, the incident was caused by a collision between the aircraft and a flock of birds. EPA

At least 38 people died in the crash. AFP

Aviation security firm Osprey Flight Solutions said in an alert to airlines on Wednesday that video of the wreckage and the circumstances around the air space in south-west Russia indicated the possibility that the airliner was hit by anti-aircraft fire.

Russia's Dagestan and Chechnya regions have been targeted by Ukrainian military drones this month, with Russian air defences activated in response, Osprey said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that 59 Ukrainian drones were brought down over several regions, it said.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev told a media briefing on Wednesday that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to deviate from its course.

“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he said.

Russian rescuers carry a passenger wounded in the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash from medical evacuation plane at Zhukovsky airport, outside Moscow, on Thursday. EPA

Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civil aviation authority, said that preliminary information indicated that the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board. Asked about the claims that the plane had been fired upon by Russian air defences, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “It would be wrong to make hypotheses before investigators make their verdict.”

National flags were lowered across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and horns sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a moment of silence.

According to Kazakh officials, those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals. Russia's Emergencies Ministry on Thursday flew nine Russian survivors to Moscow for medical treatment.

Nato called for a full investigation into the cause of the crash.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J28243,” Nato representative Farah Dakhlallah said on X.

“We wish those injured in the crash a speedy recovery and call for a full investigation.”