There are early indications that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have hit the Azerbaijan Airlines plane he fell In Kazakhstan, dozens killed, a US official told ABC News.
If these indications are true, they would further emphasize Russian negligence in the invasion of Ukraine, the official added.
A drone view shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024.
Azamat Sarsenbayev/Reuters
The White House has referred ABC News to regional officials as the investigation continues.
At least 38 people have been killed and 29 injured after an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau airport on Wednesday morning, a spokesman for Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News.
Many of the 29 survivors, including two children, were hospitalized, the spokesman said.
The plane was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Russia, when it crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, the spokesman said. The flight was diverted to Aktau due to the fog in Grozny, Russian news agencies reported.
The wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer passenger plane that crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024, is seen in this screenshot of a video obtained from social media.
Social media via Reuters
The wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer passenger plane that crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024, is seen in this screenshot of a video obtained from social media.
Social media via Reuters
The General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan has launched a criminal case into the events of the accident, officials announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Today, the investigation process is underway in cooperation with the Kazakhstan prosecutor’s office. All versions are being considered in the criminal case,” said Farid Huseynov, the spokesman of Azerbaijan Airlines.
The aviation authorities of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia are working together to determine the exact cause of the crash, a spokesman for Kazakhstan’s emergency situations ministry said.
Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024.
Kazakhstan Ministry of Emergencies via Reuters
The plane was carrying 69 people: 64 passengers and five crew members. Based on preliminary data, the passengers included 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan and 16 from Russia, officials said.
Embraer, the aircraft manufacturer, released a statement on the crash, saying: “We are following the situation closely and remain fully committed to assisting the relevant authorities.”
ABC News’ Dragana Jovanovic and David Brennan contributed to this report.
