AZAL says investigation into plane crash could take years

The investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger aircraft operating a Baku–Grozny flight could take years, an airline executive said on Tuesday.

According to Report, AZAL Vice President Ilham Amirov told journalists that international regulations recommend completing air crash investigations within one year, but this is not a mandatory deadline.

"The recommendation exists because the findings are extremely important and are later shared with global aviation organisations to prevent similar incidents," Amirov said, adding that no strict time limits are imposed to avoid compromising the objectivity of investigations.

He said some investigations may take years if aircraft components require detailed examination in specialised institutions.

The AZAL aircraft crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024. There were 67 people on board, of whom 38 were killed and 29 survived. Preliminary information indicated the crash was caused by external physical interference.