Ilham Aliyev: AZAL plane subjected to external physical and technical impact in Russian airspace

The passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) was subjected to an external physical and technical impact while in Russian airspace, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Report informs that President Aliyev said the AZAL passenger plane completely lost control and was diverted towards the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. It was only through the courage and professionalism of the pilots that the plane managed to make an emergency landing.

The head of state emphasized that the presence of multiple holes in the aircraft's fuselage, injuries to passengers and crew members from external fragments that pierced the plane's skin while still in the air, and the testimonies of surviving flight attendants and passengers all confirm the fact of external physical and technical interference.