Azerbaijan airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan: Expert points to missile strike - Video
A day after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in western Kazakhstan claimed 28 lives, aeronautics expert Xavier Tytelman has suggested that the aircraft was likely brought down by an air defense missile.
While Russian and Kazakh authorities caution against premature conclusions, Tytelman, a Franco-Belgian aviation specialist, says the evidence strongly supports this theory.
"We have evidence from both the exterior and interior of the aircraft showing that shrapnel passed through it," Tytelman explained. "This indicates the involvement of an air defense missile, which contains hundreds of steel balls designed to shred through the fuselage. The markings on the plane's tail are consistent with such damage, suggesting the missile exploded above the aircraft."
Tytelman ruled out alternative explanations, such as a bird strike or an onboard explosion, citing the nature of the impact on the fuselage and the evidence captured by passengers during the flight. Videos and photos reportedly show signs of depressurization, holes inside the aircraft, and punctured life jackets.
"The hydraulic system was likely affected, making it difficult to control the plane toward the end of the flight," Tytelman added.
While the Azerbaijan Ministry of Health had initially suggested other possible causes, including a balloon explosion, the missile theory has emerged as the leading explanation. Official investigations are ongoing, and authorities have urged against speculation until their findings are released.
