After an Azerbaijan Airlines jet crashed in Kazakhstan, speculation mounted about why the plane went down and whether possible Russian air defense action may have played a role.

The second black box has been found at the plane crash site near Aktau and handed over to the investigation department, according to a Kazakh official from transport department on Thursday. The Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Officials say an Azerbaijani airliner has crashed in the Kazakhstani city of Aktau with Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry now saying that at least 28 people survived the crash, which could mean that over 30 people are likely dead.

An Azerbaijani airliner has crashed in Kazakhstan after being diverted, killing 38 of 67 people on board. Some experts alleged that the plane went down after being hit by Russian air defense systems. Some things to know about the crash and the speculation about a possible cause:

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the Azerbaijani Airlines plane making a steep descent before slamming into the ground in a fireball in western Kazakhstan.

On the morning of December 25, 2025, an Embraer 190 passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crashed near Aktau in western Kazakhstan while en route from Baku to Grozny. The exact cause remains unclear,

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Some of the videos posted on social media showed survivors dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage.

According to Euronews sources, the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane flying from Baku to Grozny on 25 December was caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile that exploded nearby. Source: Euronews Quote: "Sources in the Azerbaijani government confirmed in an exclusive statement to Euronews on Thursday that a Russian surface-to-air missile was the cause of the crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines plane in Aktau on Wednesday.

A Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani government sources reportedly confirmed on Dec. 26. The missile was fired from a Pantsir-S air defense system.

(AP) — An Azerbaijani airliner has crashed in Kazakhstan after being diverted, killing 38 of 67 people on board. Some things to know about the crash and the speculation about a possible cause:

A day after an Azerbaijani airliner’s crashed in Kazakhstan, aviation experts say the plane most likely went down after being hit by Russian air defense systems.