Survivors report loud bangs before disaster struck
Survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, have shared chilling details of the moments leading up to the tragedy that killed at least 38 people and left 29 injured. Passengers recall hearing loud bangs as the Embraer jet approached its destination, Grozny, in Russia’s southern Chechnya region.
“After the bang… I thought the plane was going to fall apart,” survivor Subhonkul Rakhimov told Reuters from his hospital bed. “It was obvious that the plane had been damaged in some way. It was as if it was drunk – not the same plane anymore.”
Another passenger, Vafa Shabanova, echoed these sentiments, recalling hearing not one but two loud bangs. “I was very scared,” she said, adding that a flight attendant directed her to move to the back of the plane.
Both survivors noted issues with oxygen levels in the cabin following the incident, with oxygen masks deployed and passengers donning life vests.
Investigations point to “external interference”
Azerbaijan Airlines suspended several flights to Russian cities on Friday, citing “physical and technical external interference” as the probable cause of the crash, without elaborating further.
Preliminary findings, according to sources familiar with Azerbaijan’s investigation, suggest that Russian air defenses may have mistakenly shot down the plane. The Kremlin, however, urged patience, emphasizing the need to await the official investigation’s conclusions.
The Embraer jet had diverted across the Caspian Sea from its original destination due to dense fog and a local alert over Ukrainian drones, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog, Rosaviatsia. The agency reported that the captain chose Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport as an alternative landing site.
Drone war complicates civil aviation safety
The crash highlights the growing risks to civilian aviation amidst ongoing conflicts. Though far from Ukraine’s frontlines, Grozny has been targeted by Ukrainian drones, prompting Russia to deploy advanced jamming and air defense systems in the region.
Videos captured by passengers before the crash show oxygen masks deployed and bloodied survivors climbing out of the wreckage. Subhonkul Rakhimov described a chilling silence following the crash, broken only by the groans of the injured.
Official responses
Kazakh and Azerbaijan authorities have launched investigations into the disaster, with Rosaviatsia pledging full cooperation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports of a potential air defense misfire, underscoring the need for official findings.
As the investigation unfolds, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers facing civil aviation even in regions distant from active warzones.