(MENAFN- Live Mint) A day after an Azerbaijani airliner crashed in Kazakhstan following it was diverted and killed 38 of 67 people on board, chilling revelations are coming out with each passing moment as the investigation proceeds.
According to an Irishstar report, the channel VChK-OGPU suggested that the flight accident may have been caused by a missile fired by Russian air defences. A Telegram channel closely linked to Russian security services claimed this.
The report further stated that a Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile mistakenly targeted the passenger flight as it was misidentified as a Ukrainian drone. Though nothing concrete has been confirmed or denied.
"In reality, the damage indicates that, most likely, a missile fired by air defence systems exploded near the plane. According to the materials we have obtained, that very strike occurred approximately 18 kilometres [11 miles] north, northwest of the airport in Grozny, over the Naursky district at an altitude of 2,400 metres [7,875ft]," Irishstar quoted the outlet as saying.
Mint cannot independently verify this information.
Among other details, the telegram channel also claimed that the damage visible on the plane's fuselage aligns with that of missile shrapnel, which is different from a bird strike or drone collision. This disputes the reports from Russian media claims that stated that a Ukrainian drone had caused the crash.
The initial and partial leak of alleged communication between the pilots and air traffic control indicates the loss of control. Meanwhile, the crash was not due to a bird strike , says the report.
Conversation between pilot, ATC:
8.12 am: The flight struggled with GPS failure and the pilots requested help with 'vectoring' to return to the departure airport in Baku, after the sudden closure of Grozny airport.
8.16 am: Pilot reported a 'bird strike' in the cockpit and was asked by ATC what help they can provide.
The Mirror reported that at 8.17 am, the pilot changed course for Mineralnye Vody airport in southern Russia. Th pilot was prompted by ground control to 'perform left orbit', but he said, 'I can't execute, control is lost'.
By 8.21 am, the flight crew reported a total loss of control and the flight vanished from radar for 37 minutes before reappearing near Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it crashed after flying east across the Caspian Sea.
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