The official investigation into the crash is not yet complete, but survivors told authorities they heard three bangs that appeared to come from outside as the plane flew over Grozny.
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The White House said there were “first indications” that Russian air defense systems may have downed the Azerbaijani plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
The statements by national security spokesman John Kirby echoed those of some Azerbaijani officials and aviation experts who attributed the accident to Russia’s reaction to a Ukrainian air attack.
Russian officials said a drone attack was underway in the area where the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was heading to land.
However, they did not address statements calling into question air defenses.
John Kirby told reporters on Friday that the United States had seen evidence “which indicates the possibility that this aircraft was shot down by Russian air defense systems”but he declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Asked whether Washington had intelligence to reach that conclusion, or whether it was just expert speculation based on visual assessments of the crash, he said yes, but added that ‘he “would leave it there”.
The investigation into the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 in Aktau on Wednesday is now focusing on the weapon that caused the incident, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev said after be interviewed with survivors in Kazakhstan.
On Thursday, Azerbaijani government sources confirmed to Euronews that an initial investigation revealed that a Russian surface-to-air missile had been fired at the plane as it flew over Chechnya.
Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was flying from Baku, the country’s capital, to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya.
During the flight, the plane crashed during an emergency landing in the city of Aktau in southwestern Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29 survivors.
Reportedly, despite the pilot’s requests for an emergency landing, the plane was not allowed to land at Russian airports, forcing it to veer off course across the Caspian Sea towards of Kazakhstan.
The official investigation into the crash is not yet complete, but survivors told authorities they heard three bangs appearing to come from outside as the plane flew over Grozny.
“During our visit to the survivors, including those of Russian nationality, all, without exception, reported hearing three explosions when the plane was flying over the city of Grozny”Rashad Nabiyev told Baku-based international media AnewZ.
“They indicated that these noises were coming from outside, which suggests that there was an external impact on the plane”he added.
A flight attendant was injured in the hand, while another passenger was injured in the hand and leg by the explosions, Rashad Nabiyev added.
ADVERTISEMENT“In other images, holes are visible on the wing of the plane, as well as various signs of damage inside the plane, particularly in its interior parts, caused by what appears to be an impact sharp external objects”he explained.
“Our team of investigators, together with the aviation specialists invited for this case, will now examine what type of weapon was used.”
An official from Kazakhstan’s transport department said the plane’s second black box had been located and handed over to the investigative team.
Restricted flights in Russian airspace
On Friday, Azerbaijan Airlines announced it was suspending flights between Baku and seven Russian airports, including Grozny, until the final results of the investigation are known.
ADVERTISEMENTKazakhstan’s Qazaq Air said it was suspending flights from Astana to Yekaterinburg, citing an ongoing risk assessment for flights to Russia.
Israeli airline El Al said flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow would be canceled this week due to “the evolving situation in Russian airspace”.
