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Azerbaijan Airlines crash linked to alleged Russian missile strike

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Azerbaijan Airlines crash linked to alleged Russian missile strike
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On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, operating as Flight 8432, crashed near Aktau International Airport in western Kazakhstan. The flight carried 62 passengers and five crew members, resulting in the loss of 38 lives. Initial reports suggested a bird strike as the cause; however, images circulated on social media showed shrapnel damage to the aircraft's tail and fuselage. This has led to speculation about a Russian air defense missile strike.

Euronews reported that "Azerbaijani government sources have exclusively confirmed to Euronews on Thursday that a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau on Wednesday." According to these sources, the missile was fired at Flight 8432 during drone activity over Grozny. The explosion reportedly sent shrapnel into the aircraft mid-flight.

The report further noted that despite requests for an emergency landing, "the stricken Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft was 'not allowed to land at any Russian airports.'" As a result, it was redirected across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan's nearest airport near where it eventually crashed. Earlier accounts had attributed the inability to land to poor visibility.

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The incident coincided with Russia launching a large missile strike on Ukraine, which involved operations over the nearby Caspian Sea. GPS jamming affected Flight 8432's route visibility on radar. Flightradar24 confirmed interference with ADS-B data gathering due to this jamming.

Russia has yet to comment officially on the incident's cause but has advised against spreading "hypotheses" regarding it. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Airlines has provided contact numbers for family members of those onboard.

Survivors described hearing an explosion followed by shrapnel impacts that punctured parts of the fuselage. Damage appeared concentrated on the tail and rear sections of the plane. Videos from inside showed similar damage and injuries among passengers.

The Embraer 190 departed Baku International Airport en route to Grozny Airport before encountering trouble. Aviation Safety Network recorded its takeoff time as 03:55 UTC.

This tragic event draws parallels with past incidents involving passenger aircraft downed by air defense systems. Notable cases include Malaysian Flight MH17 in 2014 and more recently an Embraer Legacy 600 carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin in August 2023.

Organizations Included in this History
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