Russian missile blamed for Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau: Report

A tragic plane crash happened on Wednesday in Aktau, Kazakhstan. The plane was operated by Azerbaijan Airlines and was flying from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, a city in Russia. However, because of thick fog in Grozny, the flight had to change its route and was directed to Aktau.

On Thursday, the government of Azerbaijan confirmed that the crash was caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile. Sadly, 38 people lost their lives in the crash. However, 29 other people survived but were injured. The crash is being investigated, but it is still unclear exactly what led to the missile strike.

The government of Azerbaijan declared a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the crash. On Thursday, flags were lowered across the country, and at noon, all traffic stopped for a moment of silence. Ships and trains across the country also sounded their horns in memory of those who died.

The plane crashed about 3 kilometers (around 2 miles) from Aktau. Videos shared online showed the plane falling quickly and hitting the ground in a large fire. Other videos showed part of the plane’s body ripped away from the wings, and the rest of the plane was seen lying upside down in the grass.

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The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, spoke at a news conference on Wednesday. He said that the crash happened after the plane was forced to change its route because of bad weather. He confirmed that the plane was heading to Aktau when it crashed while trying to land.

Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said at first that a bird struck the plane, which caused an emergency landing in Aktau. But later reports showed that the crash was caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile.

This event has left many people shocked and heartbroken, especially the families of the victims. Azerbaijan is deeply mourning the loss of those who died in the crash, and the whole country is united in grief as more information is awaited about the cause of this tragic incident.