A transcript of the conversations between the crew of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane that crashed near Aktau has appeared online.
The Telegram channel Baza, which gained access to the recordings, reports that the crew independently made all key decisions about changing destinations.
According to the transcript, air traffic controllers offered the crew several landing options, including airports in Grozny and Makhachkala, and also provided information about other Russian airports. However, for reasons beyond their control, the crew was forced to decline these proposals.
According to the recording, it was the crew members who first mentioned the possibility of a bird strike and an explosion of an oxygen cylinder on board.
"Grozny, controls failed. Bird strike in the cockpit... Uh, bird strike and in the cockpit two seats exploded. <…> So, our situation is this. Oxygen is running out in the passenger cabin. So, an oxygen, I think, cylinder exploded there. And, there is a smell of fuel. And, some passengers... are losing consciousness," the transcript of conversations between the dispatchers at Grozny airport and the crew of the AZAL flight states.
The full transcript of the conversations can be found via this link.
As previously reported, on 25 December, a plane from the Azerbaijani airline AZAL, which was travelling from Baku to Grozny, crashed three kilometres from Aktau airport. There were 67 people on board, including 5 crew members.
Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev stated that 38 passengers died as a result of the incident, and 29 people, including three children, were hospitalised.
In turn, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, suggested that the aircraft was damaged by electronic warfare measures in Russian airspace. In this regard, in his opinion, the Russian side should admit guilt and pay compensation.
It later emerged that Kazakhstan had decided to hand over the "black boxes" (flight data recorders) of the AZAL plane that crashed near Aktau to the Brazilian Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Centre (CENIPA).