Penetrating damage to the aircraft structure indicates the impact of foreign objects, according to the preliminary report by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport regarding the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Embraer 190 passenger aircraft near Aktau Airport.
"Most of the penetrating damage is located in the tail section of the aircraft—on the aft and stabilizer. A visual inspection confirmed the presence of both through and blind damages," the report emphasized.
The Investigation Commission, with the participation of authorized representatives from Brazil and Azerbaijan, as well as Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies, collected foreign objects from the blunt-force damage areas of the aircraft wreckage for further forensic examination.
"A significant number of foreign objects were retrieved from the identified damaged areas. Additional investigations and expert analysis will be conducted to determine the source and nature of the penetrating damage," the report states.
The AZAL passenger aircraft, operating the Baku-Grozny route, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25. Of the 67 people on board, 38 lost their lives, while 29 survived.
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