Azerbaijan’s preliminary investigation into the deadly air crash in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day suggests that a Russian anti-aircraft missile, likely fired by a Pantsir-S air defence system, downed the airliner.
The plane’s communications were reportedly disrupted by electronic warfare systems before being hit.
The Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, en route to Grozny, Russia, killing 38 people and injuring 29.
The crash occurred after the plane, which had requested an emergency landing in Russia, was redirected to fly over the Caspian Sea towards Kazakhstan’s Aktau. It was not allowed to land in Russia.
Russian missile firing on the aircraft was not believed to be intentional, according to sources cited by multiple media outlets.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency initially claimed the crash was caused by a bird strike, though aviation experts suggested Russian air defences were more likely the cause based on damage to the tail of the aircraft.
The flight passed over a region in Russia’s North Caucasus, which had been targeted by Ukrainian drones in recent days, with Russia’s Ministry of Defence reporting multiple drone shootdowns.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned against speculation about the cause of the crash, saying “It would be wrong to make any hypotheses before the investigation’s conclusions.”
Kazakhstan has also launched its own investigation and refrained from commenting on the cause.
On Thursday, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning for the victims of the crash. Residents across the former Soviet republic participated in a moment of silence, while national flags were lowered and traffic came to a standstill throughout the country.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29. Investigation suggests a Russian missile hit the plane, likely not intentional. The plane's communication was disrupted before being hit. The flight was redirected to Kazakhstan after being denied emergency landing in Russia. Russian air defences were suspected based on damage. Ukraine drones and electronic warfare were also mentioned. Both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are investigating. Russia warned against speculation. Azerbaijan observed a day of mourning. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Azerbaijan Airlines Flight Downed By Russian Anti-Aircraft Missile, Investigation Reveals

The founder of the mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been confirmed dead.
Prigozhin (62) died in a plane crash last week, two months after he mounted a mutiny against Russia’s military that President Vladimir Putin decried as “treason”.
In a statement on Sunday, the spokesperson of the country’s Investigative Committee, Svetlana Petrenko, said that forensic testing identified all 10 bodies recovered at the site of Wednesday’s plane crash. She said:
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Molecular genetic testing has been completed… According to its results, the identities of all 10 deceased have been established, and they correspond to the list published in the flight manifest.
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The statement, however, did not offer any details as to what might have caused the crash.
The Russian president sent his condolences on Thursday to the families of those who died in the crash. He said:
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He [Prigozhin] was a talented person, a talented businessman, he worked not only in our country, and achieved results, but also abroad, particularly in Africa.
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10 people were on board the private jet which crashed in the Tver region northwest of Moscow on Wednesday.
They included Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, his right-hand man who helped found the Wagner group.
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The others on the Embraer Legacy plane – flying from Moscow to St Petersburg – included Wagner members Valery Chekalov, Sergei Propustin, Yevgeny Makaryan, Alexander Totmin and Nikolay Matuseyev.
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The plane was flown by pilot Alexei Levshin and co-pilot Rustam Karimov, and there was one flight attendant, Kristina Raspopova.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Wagner Boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Confirmed Dead In Plane Crash

A top Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) officer has been discharged over his role in an aircraft accident that killed two experienced pilots on 02 February this year.
The AFZ SF260 trainer aircraft flew into electric lines as it struggled to gain height shortly after take-off near Mlezu College in Kwekwe.
Group Captain Bensen Munyanduki, 50, and Wing Commander Daniel Manyenga, 37, died in the accident.
Air Commodore Marcelino Jakuvos Jaya, the Base Commander of the former Thornhill Air Base in Gweru, now Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base, has left the Air Force in disgrace over the accident.
Jaya reportedly gave the instruction to the two pilots to fly the stricken aircraft. <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/top-air-force-chief-sacked-over-doomed-flight-that-killed-2-pilots/">ZimLive</a> quoted a military source as saying:
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A tribunal found that after the aircraft first crash-landed, Air Commodore Jaya was given specific instructions by AFZ Commander Air Marshal Elson Moyo to put the aircraft on a low-bed truck and take it to the air base.
Instead, Jaya ignored a lawful instruction and decided to send our best two pilots on a doomed mission to fly an aircraft that had not been properly assessed by engineers after the earlier incident when it crash-landed.
The aircraft failed to pick up height leading to the tragic deaths of the two pilots.
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ZimLive reported that the SF260 first flew on a training mission to Zvishavane with different pilots.
When the pilots were returning to Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base, they flew into bad weather and were forced to crash-land the aircraft on a dusty road.
AFZ then sent a recovery mission and the two pilots, who had no serious injuries, were transported to the hospital for assessment.
According to ZimLive’s military sources, Air Commodore Jaya ignored instructions from senior officers to recover the aircraft with a truck.
He, instead, instructed Munyanduki and Manyenga to fly the aircraft back to base.
The plane tragically crashed shortly after take-off, robbing the Air Force of two of its experienced pilots.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Top Air Force Of Zimbabwe Officer Fired Over Crash That Killed Two Pilots

The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Republic_Police">Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)</a> is investigating a plane crash, which happened in the Featherstone area in Chivhu on Monday afternoon. 
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Paul_Nyathi">Paul Nyathi</a>, confirmed the crash and said two people were injured and were rushed to Beatrice Hospital where they were stabilised. He told <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/two-survive-plane-crash/">The Herald</a>:
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Two people on the plane survived the crash and were taken to Beatrice Hospital. They were transferred to another health facility for further treatment.
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Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the police were by late last night still working on establishing more details on the plane crash. 
The latest information suggests that the plane had five people on board and all survived.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Five People Survive Plane Crash In Chivhu

An Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) SF260 trainer aircraft, crashed in the Mlezu College general area near Gweru, killing two pilots onboard, <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/afz-trainer-aircraft-crashes-kills-2-pilots/">reported The Herald</a>.
The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it hit a power line and crashed, killing the two pilots.
AFZ said the names of the deceased will be released after their next of kin have been notified.
In a message after the accident, Commander AFZ, Air Marshal Elson Moyo, said:
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We have learnt with heavy hearts, of the passing on of two of our pilots after a training accident. Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased pilots.
I want to extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased for this sad loss of AFZ pilots who were on duty and playing their part to ensure that the AFZ fulfills its mandate to defend Zimbabwe’s airspace and territorial integrity.
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In April 2021, an AFZ Agusta Bell 412 (AB 412) helicopter crashed in Goromonzi and killed two pilots, Wing Commander Tinashe Thomas Manyowa and Flight-Lieutenant Annita Mapiye, as well as Flight Sergeant Chikamhi, a technician.
The helicopter crashed into a house at Plot 2 of Gardner Road, Ward 16 in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East.

AFZ Trainer Aircraft Crashes In Gweru, Kills 2 Pilots

A 25-man search party has been combing up the Zambezi valley in search of a survivor of a plane crash in the area on Friday afternoon.
A four-seat Cessna 182 light aircraft, which had four people on board, crashed in Chewore Safari Area in Mbire with one dead and two critically injured.
The deceased was a South African researcher who was conducting a game survey with a compatriot and two Zimbabweans, including the pilot.
The search for the missing passenger is being jointly carried out by Zimbabwean and Zambian authorities using four planes and sniffer dogs.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo on Monday confirmed the discovery of the wreckage. He said:
<blockquote>The plane was found crashed in Chewore, mid-Zambezi. It is not yet clear what caused the crash and investigations are still in progress.
Authorities recovered the body of a South African national while two people were found badly injured. They were in such a bad state they could not call for help.
We have engaged authorities in Zambia to help in the search for the fourth person who remains missing.</blockquote>
Reports suggest that the missing person survived the accident and left the scene of the plane crash to look for help.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/one-killed-two-injured-in-plane-crash/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Four Planes Scrambled To Search For Missing ZimParks Official

The bodies of the six people who died in a plane in Vumba yesterday morning have been identified by family members and workmates from Green Motor Services (GMS) and Cornelder de Mozambique who came to Mutare Provincial Hospital.
 
A Zimbabwean national Mr Banele Sibanda, who was finance director of Cornelder de Mozambique, a sister company for GMS based in Mutare was among the six people that were killed. The other directors of Cornelder de Mozambique namely Adelino Mequito (managing director), Isaic Noor (administration and finance director), Jorge Ucucho (chief legal council), pilot and co-pilot who were father and son, Rui Perreira and Luis Barroso also perished in the crash.
Meanwhile, the repatriation process of the bodies of five Mozambican nationals is underway. The pilot and co-pilot are expected to be buried in Maputo while the three others are to be buried in Beira and the body of the late Mr Sibanda has since been taken to Harare.
More: <a href="http://www.zbc.co.zw/2017/03/28/vumba-plane-crash-victims-identified/">ZBC News</a>

Vumba plane crash victims identified

On Monday, six people died when a light plane crashed in the Vumba mountains. It has now been confirmed that all six were Mozambican nationals who were flying to Mutare.
The Mozambican press is reporting that four of the dead were business executives, while the two pilots were father and son.
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The plane wreckage that remains after crashing in Vumba today. 6 GSM directors lost their lives on their way to Beira Mozambique. <a href="https://t.co/Nyq1f9cXsw">pic.twitter.com/Nyq1f9cXsw</a>
— Diamond Fm Zimbabwe (@diamond1038FM) <a href="https://twitter.com/diamond1038FM/status/846386920724811776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Image Credit: Diamond FM Zimbabwe, 3-MOB, African Spotlight

Pictures: Vumba Plane Crash

Six people died after a plane crashed in the Vumba Mountains earlier on today. The plane was travelling from Beira to Mutare. Four of the six people were directors of Green Motor Services who were on their way to a board meeting in Mutare.
Investigators are working on establishing the cause of the plane crash.
<h4>This is a developing story and we’ll be adding information/ making clarifications as we get more information</h4>
(The image above is not the actual image, it is a file photo)
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-news-plane-crash-kills-6-in-vumba/">Herald</a>

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