Azerbaijan airliner tragedy: Missile debris or system failure?
The National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, suggested that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane might have been shot down by Russian air defence systems. Washington has also offered to assist in the investigation.
"We have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defence systems," said Kirby during Friday's online news briefing. He noted, however, that a joint investigation by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, where the plane crashed, is underway.
"We have offered our assistance to that investigation should they need it, should they want it. But we’re going to respect that process, and I really don’t have anything more to add," added the National Security Council spokesperson.
Joint investigation by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) reported that preliminary findings suggest the plane crash en route from Baku to Grozny was the result of "physical and technical external interference." However, the airline did not specify the nature of this interference.
According to the preliminary findings of the Azerbaijani authorities, cited by Reuters, the plane was mistakenly shot down by Russian air defence. This information was also relayed by a U.S. official, as quoted by the Financial Times.
Collision with birds or missile debris?
Preliminary findings suggest that a Russian missile fired during an attack on Ukrainian drones over Grozny exploded near the Azerbaijani plane. Debris from this missile was said to have damaged it. The aircraft was directed to Aktau in western Kazakhstan. During the descent, the plane broke apart and caught fire. The majority of the 67 passengers on board the Embraer-190 were Azerbaijani citizens; 38 people lost their lives.
The initial reports mentioned a collision of the aircraft with a flock of birds, which allegedly caused a failure in the control system. Russian media reported that fog in Grozny was one of the reasons for the crash, forcing the plane to change its route.
According to Azerbaijani authorities, Russia did not permit an emergency landing at any of its airports. Reuters quotes the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, which stated that the plane's captain was offered alternative airports, "but had chosen Kazakh Aktau."
