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As many as 38 people on board, including two pilots, had died in Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
The Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 crashed on Wednesday, killing 38 people (AP Image)
Azerbaijan Airlines on Friday said the jet crash that killed 38 people onboard in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was due to “external physical and technical interference”.
As many as 67 people were on the Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 during the time of the mishap, out of whom 38 died, Kazakh authorities said. The deceased included the two pilots and a flight attendant. 29 people survived the fatal crash.
On Christmas, the flight took off from Baku for Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya. After the flight was denied landing due to fog in Grozny, it was diverted to the Caspian Sea where it crashed in Kazakhstan’s Aktau city.
Reports Earlier Claimed Russian Missile Strike, Kremlin Reacts
The airlines’ statement comes a day after reports emerged that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have hit the passenger plane.
Reuters cited multiple unnamed sources in Azerbaijan and reported that the plane was downed by a Russian air defence system. Reports suggested that the missile was “accidentally fired” on the plane.
Azeri government sources told Euronews that the jet was struck by a Russian missile, the claims which Russia rejected, stating, “it is wrong to speculate”.
“The investigation into the cause of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash is underway and it is wrong to speculate before it gives its conclusions,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
Footage from the crash site revealed the harrowing moment when dazed survivors staggered out of the charred remains of the plane. According to Kazakh authorities, all survivors were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
“The bodies are severely burned and in poor condition,” Bozumbayev said. “They have been taken to the morgue, where the identification process will now begin.”
