BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26. Azerbaijan expects
Russia to take responsibility for the tragic incident involving the
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) aircraft, said Assistant to the
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Head of the Foreign
Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet
Hajiyev in an interview with Berliner Zeitung, Trend reports.
“There was a misunderstanding and heightened tensions in
bilateral relations. Such situations can occur between neighboring
countries from time to time. It all started with the plane crash,
which deeply affected Azerbaijani society. It happened on Russian
territory, in Russian airspace, and we know how it happened – that
is no longer a secret. As a neighbor and partner, Azerbaijan
expects Russia to take responsibility and ensure justice in this
case,” Hajiyev added.
The passenger aircraft “Embraer 190-100 IGW”, registered in the
state register under the number 4K-AZ65 and owned by Azerbaijan
Airlines CJSC (“AZAL”), performing regular flight J2-8243 from Baku
(Republic of Azerbaijan) to Grozny (Russian Federation), crashed on
the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan near Aktau airport on
December 25, 2024.
Following the accident, two crew members (the captain and
co-pilot), a senior flight attendant, and 35 passengers were
killed. Despite the loss of life and injuries, thanks to the
professionalism, courage, and bravery of the pilots and flight
attendants, the airplane made an emergency landing, which saved the
lives of 29 people.
The preliminary report, which was published by the Ministry of
Transport of Kazakhstan, confirms the following facts:
1. The passenger aircraft Embraer 190-100 IGW, registered under
the number 4K-AZ65 and owned by Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL),
performing regular flight J2-8243 from Baku, Azerbaijan Republic,
to Grozny, Russian Federation, was in fully airworthy condition
from the moment the flight started on the route to Grozny. This
data on the airworthiness of the aircraft, including the operation
of its control systems, was confirmed by FDR data.
(2) Both engines of the aircraft were operating without
technical problems up to the time of the accident. This information
was also confirmed by the FDR data.
3. The aircraft lost GPS signals while flying in the airspace of
the Russian Federation, including over Grozny Airport;
4. Owing to unfavorable weather conditions over Grozny, the
aircraft was unable to make a second landing approach, after which
the captain decided to return to Baku. Following this decision over
Grozny, two external sounds were recorded in the CVR with an
interval of 24 seconds;
5. Comparison of CVR and FDR data showed that the 3rd hydraulic
system failed 4 seconds after the first external sound, the 1st
hydraulic system failed 6 seconds later, and the 2nd hydraulic
system failed 21 seconds later;
6. Numerous blind spots and through damage were found in the
fuselage, documented through photographs and video recordings.
These damages were found in the rear of the fuselage, the vast
majority of which were on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers,
as well as the left wing and left engine.
7. Information was provided that the damage found in the
aircraft fuselage was caused by external objects. The preliminary
report does not contain information that there are any facts
indicating that the aircraft collided with birds.
8. The foreign objects found in the fuselage blind fractures
that did not belong to the aircraft were removed; their photographs
are made available to the public in the text of the preliminary
report. Additional expert examinations are planned in the future to
determine the exact identity of the foreign objects found.
9. At 05:13:32, the aircraft’s main control systems failed; at
05:21:42, the liaison dispatcher informed Grozny of Operation
Carpet;
10. There is no information containing the fact of oxygen
cylinder explosion.
According to the requirements of the ICAO Chicago Convention,
following the preliminary report, a final report on the causes of
the crash should be prepared within one year from the date of the
accident. The work on the preparation of the final report has
already been started by the Republic of Kazakhstan and other states
participating in the investigation.
