Two passengers and a crew member of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan told Reuters that they heard at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination of Grozny, Chechnya, in southern Russia.

The aircraft, operating flight J2-8243, crashed in a ball of fire near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday after diverting from its original destination to an area in southern Russia where Moscow has repeatedly used its air defense systems against Ukrainian attacks with unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). At least 38 people were killed while 29 survived.

“After the bang… I thought the plane was going to break up”stated Subhonkul Rakhimovone of the crash survivors, told Reuters from the hospital. He said that after the loud crash he had started saying his prayers in preparation for the end. “It was obvious that the plane had suffered some sort of damage,” he said. “It was as if he were drunk – it wasn’t the same plane anymore.”

Another passenger on the plane told Reuters she heard a loud bang. “I was very scared”said the Vafa Shabanovaadding that there was also a second bang. A flight attendant then told her to move to the back of the plane.

Both passengers said there appeared to be a problem with the oxygen levels in the cabin after the bang.

The flight attendant Zufulgar Asadov stated that the plane was not allowed to land in Grozny because of the fog and the pilot circled when the bangs were heard outside the aircraft. “The captain had just started to raise the plane when I heard a pop from the left wing. There were three knocks”he said. “Something fell hard on his left hand. The pressure in the cabin began to drop.”

Beyond the horror of the crash, the accounts of survivors give an idea of ​​what may have caused the disaster.

Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights to Russian cities today and said it believed the crash was caused by what it called “external physical and technical intervention”. He did not say what kind of operation it was.

Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan’s investigation into the crash told Reuters yesterday, Thursday, that the aircraft accidentally shot down by Russian anti-aircraft defenses.

Russia has asked not to draw conclusions about the crash before the completion of the investigation by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan

The Embraer flew from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, in the southern Russian province of Chechnya, before veering hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea to land and crash in Kazakhstan.

“The captain said he received a recommendation to land the aircraft at sea, but decided to head to Aktau and land it on the ground,” stated the Asadov. “He warned that the landing would be difficult and asked us to be ready and prepare the passengers.”

Crashed on the opposite shore of the Caspian after an emergency caused by the aircraft’s collision with “flock of birds”according to the Russian Civil Aviation Service.

Footage taken by passengers on the plane before the crash shows oxygen masks are down and passengers are wearing life jackets. Footage taken later shows bloody and bruised passengers clambering out of the plane.

“After the commotion caused by the crash on the ground, there was an initial silence before the moans of the injured began to be heard”said the Rakhimov.

Injured passengers of the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau are taken by medical plane to Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan (AP Photo)

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane ran into trouble near Grozny, which is more than 850 kilometers from the front lines in Ukraine, but is still repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drones that strike far behind Russian lines.

Russia uses advanced electronic jamming equipment against Ukrainian drones and communications systems and a large number of anti-aircraft systems to shoot down the drones.

The Russian Civil Aviation Service said today that the plane decided to deviate from its original destination due to dense fog and due to an alert for a Ukrainian drone attack in the Chechnya region.

According to Rosaviatsia, to the pilot of the aircraft alternative landing airports were suggestedbut he chose Aktau in Kazakhstan, He indicated that he would provide full support to the Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan investigations.

Asked about reports that Russian air defenses accidentally shot down the plane, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated today that he has nothing to add and how does not wish to make any assessment until the official investigation has reached its findings.