New facts about the plane crash in Kazakhstan. In some places, the plane's fuselage is riddled with holes like a sieve and this can be clearly seen in the photos. Could such damage have been caused by birds whose flock was hit by the plane according to the first information provided by the media? Experts believe it was damage caused by anti-aircraft weapons.
Before the Azerbaijani Airlines Embraer hit the ground, it was allegedly shot at by the Russian army. The marks on the side of the plane – according to Euronews, citing sources in the Azerbaijani government, were caused by the operation of the anti-aircraft defense system.
– I am sure there will be a thorough investigation. We will coordinate the work of our special and aviation services on all issues related to this tragedy, commented Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The final report – this is how Putin's words can be read – will be influenced by the Russian services. The Kremlin spokesman added that it would be “inappropriate” to make any hypotheses at this time. According to preliminary information, the crash was caused by thick fog over Grozny, where the plane was originally headed. Shortly after the crash, information appeared in the media that the damage to the plane was caused by a collision with a flock of birds.
– There are simply no birds at altitudes above 1,500 meters. All pilots know this, all pilots know this. However, the Kremlin's information services may not know about it, said aviation expert Grzegorz Brychczyński.
Moments before the plane crash in KazakhstanReuters
They were not allowed to land in Russia
The plane with 67 people on board – passengers and crew – was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to the Chechen capital, Grozny, when Russian air defenses tried to shoot down Ukrainian combat drones. According to Euronews, that's when the machine was supposed to be hit. Despite the crew's requests, they were not allowed to make an emergency landing at any nearby Russian airport, and only at an alternate airport in Aktau in Kazakhstan, on the other side of the Caspian Sea.
The plane, whose GPS system stopped working, crashed three kilometers from the airport. – The plane was rising and falling, as if it had lost hydraulic steering – emphasized pilot Krzysztof Zdanowski.
The last moments of the flight were recorded by one of the passengers, who – as he now says – survived only by the grace of God. He emerged from the plane wreck on his own. He may be a key witness in the investigation into the causes of the disaster.
The survivors numbered almost thirty people. They claimed to have heard explosions and shots in the air. Some of them – this is unconfirmed information – may have been injured by Russian bullets that pierced the plane's skin.
The fight for the lives of those who survived, whose condition is very serious, continues. Their families hold vigil in front of the hospital in Aktau.
Main photo source: STR/PAP/EPA