RUSSIA misidentified the Azerbaijan plane for a drone and shot it down with a missile, US intelligence believes.
The Christmas Day disaster saw the aircraft explode into a fireball near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38.
ReutersThe crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane[/caption]
ReutersThe plane exploded into a fireball as it crash landed[/caption]
There were initial reports suggesting the Azerbaijan Airlines plane could have been brought down by mad Vlad, especially as just one minute after the crash Russia shut down the air space, blogger VChK-OGPU claims.
The post claimed two drones were flying over the same part of Chechnya at the time – just after 8am.
Anti-air Pantsir missiles had been installed in the area of Grozny airport just a fortnight before, the blogger claimed.
The pilot was not given any warning about the no-fly zone – or how dangerous the area was.
Following the strike, the desperate pilot pleaded to be diverted to nearby airports, he was refused permission and so had to flee across the Caspian to Kazakhstan.
The block on flying to nearby Russian airports was accompanied by high-tech jamming of the damaged plane’s guidance systems.
Now two US military officials have told NBC that intelligence indicates the Russians may have misidentified the aircraft – and shot it down.
Russian forces believed it was a drone and engaged their air defences, the intelligence suggests.
This was partially due to the aircraft’s irregular flight pattern and altitude, officials said.
But both have stressed that an investigation continues.
Russian officials have warned against speculation about what caused the fatal crash.
But the country’s aviation authority dubbed the situation in Russia’s airspace as “very complicated” when the plane was diverted to Kazakhstan.
The Embraer 190 plane had been travelling from Baku, in Azerbaijan, to Grozny, in Russia’s Chechnya on Christmas before it crash landed.
Four sources told Reuters previously that the plane was downed by the Russian air defences as it flew over the country.
A US official told Reuters these comments are “early indications” of what may have happened and that it would point to “Russian recklessness”.
ReutersOxygen masks came down inside the plane as it started to hurtle towards the ground[/caption]
APInvestigations are currently ongoing[/caption]
ReutersThe airliner appeared to have shrapnel marks in the fuselage[/caption]
Euronews later said the plane was targeted by a surface-to-air missile from the Kremlin’s arsenal.
It is believed to have exploded next to the aircraft as shrapnel struck passengers and cabin crew, the report added.
Anti-air Pantsir missiles had even been installed in the area of Grozny airport just a fortnight before the deadly incident.
Russian military analysts from the Conflict Intelligence Team noted that bullet holes appeared to have been found on the wreckage.
They suggested these could have been caused by the Pantsir-S1 air defence missile.
On Wednesday, authorities in Russia and Kazakhstan both claimed the crash was caused by a bird strike.
Tracking data from FlightRadar24 and the plane’s transponder shows the final minutes of the plane’s journey.
The jet flew in an erratic pattern, repeatedly lurching up and down across the Caspian Sea as the hero pilots fought for control of the damaged jet.
Pilots then tried to descend towards Aktau Airport but continued to battle to keep control the downed aircraft.
Terrifying footage showed the Embraer nosediving before smashing into the ground into a fireball blast.
Witnesses described a deafening explosion as the plane broke apart and burst into flames upon impact.
It was seen ripped in half along the ground – killing more than half on board.
Miraculously, the fuselage managed to remain intact allowing dozens of passengers to survive.
Investigations into what caused the tragedy are ongoing with officials still searching for answers.
The team – headed up by the deputy prosecutor general of Azerbaijan – have already recovered the black box data.
It revealed the haunting final words the pilot said just moments before the plane smashed into the ground.
Struggling to control the plane, one of the pilots said: “I can’t execute, control is lost!”
As the plane descended uncontrollably, an oxygen tank is believed to have exploded, Kazakhstan’s transport minister said.
Marat Karabayev did not say how it exploded with it not expected to be the sole reason for the disaster.
The gas cylinder was stationed in the passenger cabin, he added.
Harrowing footage from on board the jet has emerged from the survived travellers with many screaming in horror in the distressing clips.
It shows terrified passengers making final video calls and leaving messages to their loved ones as the aircraft started to plunge.
Horrified people can be seen jumping out of their seats as they try all they can to plan for their survival.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared a day of mourning on Thursday for those who died.
APRescuers prepare to carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau[/caption]
AFPEmergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau[/caption]
ReutersA view shows the wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane at the crash site[/caption]
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