Preliminary Azerbaijan Plane Crash Findings Suggest Physical and Technical External Interference

Azerbaijan Airlines announced that preliminary findings from the investigation into the crash of a Russia-bound passenger plane indicate “physical and technical external interference.”

In a statement on Telegram on December 27, the airline said that, due to these findings, it is suspending flights to several Russian cities starting December 28. These include Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, and Vladikavkaz.

“This decision, made in accordance with the Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Authority, is based on the preliminary results of the investigation into the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft operating the Baku-Grozny flight J2-8243 of Azerbaijan Airlines due to physical and technical external interference and considers potential risks to flight safety. The suspension will remain in effect until the completion of the final investigation,” the statement said.

The airline added that its suspension of flights to Grozny and Makhachkala, imposed since December 26, will continue.

“For safety reasons, a decision has been made to suspend flights of other airlines to the mentioned destinations, including Grozny and Makhachkala,” it said.

On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flight crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan. At least 38 people died in the plane crash.

Previously, sources within the Azerbaijani government exclusively confirmed to Euronews on Thursday, December 26, that a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau on December 25, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors injured.