The crash site is a rise that gently transitions into a lowland. It is here that the aircraft began to disintegrate: first, the left landing gear broke, followed by the fuselage striking the ground. The central and front sections of the aircraft were completely engulfed in flames, and the cockpit was split into two halves.
Additionally, the upper instrument panel and the cockpit windshields remained intact. The tail of the airplane was found at a distance from the other debris, while the left wing partially survived.
Both engines sustained significant damage: the right one shattered into large and small fragments, while the left one was partially intact. The landing gear was destroyed upon impact and scattered across the crash site.
Furthermore, we previously reported that numerous puncture wounds from foreign metallic objects were found on the aircraft.
We remind you that the Ministry of Transport has published a preliminary report on the investigation of the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane, which went down on December 25 near Aktau. The document is available on our Telegram.
Details of the Crash
The tragedy occurred three kilometers from Aktau Airport. The Embraer aircraft, operating the Baku – Grozny flight, attempted to make an emergency landing but crashed instead. There were 62 passengers and 5 crew members on board.
The investigation is being led by Kazakhstan with the involvement of specialists from Azerbaijan, Russia, and international experts. The "black boxes" have already been retrieved and are undergoing analysis. Media discussions suggest that the catastrophe may have been caused by the operation of Russian air defense systems.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences and apologized, noting that the tragedy occurred in Russian airspace. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that the aircraft was damaged externally, and its control was compromised by electronic warfare measures.
On board were 42 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 citizens of Kyrgyzstan. Among the survivors are passengers from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. There were no Kazakhs among the rescued.