The black box from the Azerbaijan Airlines crash in Kazakhstan, believed to have been caused by Russian air defense, is being sent to Brazil for investigation, Kazakh authorities reported on Dec. 29.
Kazakhstan’s decision aligns with Azerbaijan's call for a transparent probe into the crash, which killed 38 people.
There were 67 people on board the aircraft, including 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz citizens.
The government in Astana explained that the decision to send the flight recorders to Brazil was based on the fact that the Azal aircraft was manufactured there and followed "consultations with Azerbaijan and Russia."
"In accordance with the standards of Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, the state conducting the investigation ensures the reading of flight recorders and decides on the selection of a country to read and decode the black boxes," the statement said, highlighting that Kazakhstan is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Azerbaijan claims the aircraft was struck by a Russian missile near Grozny and denied emergency landings at two Russian airports before crashing.
President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of attempting to cover up the incident and demanded an apology, accountability for those responsible, and compensation.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized, he referred to the event as a "tragic incident" and did not admit guilt.
The final conclusions about the crash will depend on the investigation of the flight recorders.
Martin Fornusek
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