A Russia-bound Azerbaijan Airlines plane was most likely damaged by external items before it crashed in late December 2024, according to a preliminary report published Tuesday by Kazakh authorities.The AZAL Embraer 190 jet was en path from Baku to Grozny on Dec.
25 when it disappeared from radar near Russias Caspian Sea coast.
It later on reappeared and crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, killing 38 of the 67 individuals on board.Kazakhstans transportation ministry published a 53-page report in which it referred to external items and included photos of the airplane filled with holes.The damage created by these objects resulted in the loss of hydraulic fluid and pressure, along with the failure of the stabilizer, the report said.Experts are taking a look at pieces of foreign things recovered from the fuselage, the report said.The report did not recognize the reason why the aircraft went off course.According to Kazakhstans probe, the crew had reported to air traffic control in Russias city of Grozny about losing a GPS signal and soon later lost control of the plane.It said that the plane had different shapes and size of damage in the tail area and comparable damage was discovered on the left engine and left wing of the aircraft.
Azerbaijani media, citing anonymous officials in Baku, reported in December that preliminary findings recommend the aircraft was struck by a rocket fired from a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system as it approached Grozny.Western experts have said the plane was most likely chance at from Russia.After at first stating the aircraft diverted from its course after it hit a flock of birds, Russia has confessed that its air defense was working the day the plane crashed and that it was warding off a Ukranian drone attack.But Moscow has stopped short of claiming obligation for the crash.Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has actually demanded that Russia confess fired at the aircraft and accused Moscow of at first attempting to cover up the reason for the crash, anunusually forthright allegation of his nations traditional ally.AFP contributed reporting.