Russian air defence systems may have led to Azerbaijan Airlines crash, say US officials
An Azerbaijani minister also said that the passenger aircraft was subjected to ‘external interference’ as it tried to land in Russia.
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The United States authorities on Friday said that Russian air defence systems may have led to the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Kazakhstan’s Aktau city, AP reported.
This came hours after Azerbaijani Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev said that the passenger aircraft was subjected to “external interference” and damaged inside and outside as it tried to land in Russia’s Chechnya region, BBC reported.
At least 38 persons died after the passenger aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines crashed on Wednesday. The plane was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. All 29 survivors were injured.
It was travelling from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny but had been rerouted midway.
On Friday, White House Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the United States had “seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defence systems”, AP reported.
Kirby, however, refused to elaborate on the matter, saying that the investigation was on.
Earlier in the day, Nabiyev said that preliminary conclusions by experts pointed to an external impact. “All [the survivors] without exception stated they heard three blast sounds when the aircraft was above Grozny,” BBC quoted him as saying.
He added: “The type of weapon used in the impact will be determined during the probe.”
The Azerbaijani prosecutor general’s office...
