Azerbaijan Airlines Tragedy: Is It True That The Plane Was Shot Down?

Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft crashed. (Doc. X/@flightradar24)

JAKARTA - What really happened to the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, December 25, is still a question mark. The large hole seen in the tail of the plane sparked speculation that the plane may have been shot down.

The holes, which are clearly visible in photos and videos of the Embraer 190 aircraft, according to several commentators and netizens, appear to be caused by gunfire.

As investigators from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have yet to comment on the hole, speculation on social media has grown that the plane was shot down.

The debate was reinforced by reports that the plane was unable to land in Grozny, Chechen, due to a Ukrainian drone strike hours before the crash.

The pilot reportedly diverted flights to Makhachkala City in the nearby Dagestan area, but was blocked by fog and eventually asked for permission to land at Aktau, a town on the edge of the Kaspia Sea.

Launching ANTARA, Thursday, December 26, the Ministry of Transportation of Kazakhstan on Thursday (26/12) stated that a team from the Department of Accident Investigation and Transportation Incidents were on site for the initial stages of the investigation.

According to the ministry, delegations from the Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Agency and representatives from Azerbaijan Airlines also arrived in Kazakhstan, and investigations were carried out in close cooperation with them.

Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights from Grozny to the capital cities of Azerbaijan, Baku, and Makhachkala until the investigation is complete.

In a separate statement, the Kazakh Emergency Ministry reported that seven of the 38 victims killed in the accident had been identified, while six injured were still undergoing intensive care.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Emergency stated that nine of its residents injured in the accident had been returned to Russia.

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 67 passengers on board was 62 passengers and five crew members were on their way from Baku to Grozny when it crashed on Wednesday near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev reported that 38 people died in the accident, while 29 others managed to survive.

For the disaster, December 26, it has been declared a day of national mourning in Azerbaijan.