AZAL Crash: one month on, findings expected soon

One month after the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau, the investigation suggests fuselage damage from an anti-aircraft missile. Black box data has been decoded, and results are expected next week.

Today marks one month since the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau, which claimed the lives of 38 people, including three crew members.

Following the tragedy, the aircraft’s black boxes were sent to Brazil’s Accident Investigation and Prevention Center for analysis before being returned to Kazakhstan. The investigation remains ongoing, but the leading theory suggests that the aircraft’s fuselage was damaged by striking elements of an anti-aircraft missile while flying over Grozny.

The preliminary results of the investigation are expected to be announced next week, according to a briefing attended by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev. The investigation, conducted in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, involves approximately 18 experts from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia, along with ICAO representatives.

The black boxes have been fully decoded and remain under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office investigation team. Bozumbayev stated that releasing the investigation materials would help dispel speculation surrounding the crash.

Bozumbayev also addressed circulating transcripts online, asserting that they differ significantly from the actual content of the black box recordings. He cautioned against drawing conclusions based on unverified online reports, emphasising that only official findings should be considered reliable.

The wreckage of the Embraer 190 is currently stored in a hangar in Aktau, where international experts continue their examination. Officials anticipate that the release of expert conclusions will clarify uncertainties and put to rest many speculations.

Copied