Azerbaijan Airlines has attributed the crash near Aktau to “physical and technical obstacles,” reports the Adyrna national portal, citing KazTAG.
“From December 28, 2024, flights from Baku to the following Russian airports have been suspended: Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, and Vladikavkaz.
This decision, made in coordination with Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Administration, is based on the preliminary results of the investigation into the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines on the Baku-Grozny route. The crash was determined to have been caused by external physical and technical obstacles, which posed potential risks to flight safety. The suspension of flights will remain in effect until the investigation concludes,” Azerbaijan Airlines stated in a Friday announcement.
On December 25, AZAL announced the suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and Makhachkala.
“For safety reasons, flights to these destinations, including Grozny and Makhachkala, by other airlines have also been suspended. Passengers unable to use AZAL flights to or from the mentioned Russian cities due to this situation can receive a full refund without penalties or rebook their tickets,” Azerbaijan Airlines added.
To recall, on December 25, an AZAL Embraer 190 passenger plane flying the Baku-Grozny route crashed three kilometers from Aktau airport. The aircraft had 67 people on board (62 passengers and 5 crew members) from Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The crash resulted in 38 fatalities.
