EU tightens guidelines for flights over Russia following AZAL plane crash

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued stricter recommendations regarding the use of Russian airspace for airlines from the European Union and carriers from third countries.

This decision follows the tragic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Embraer 190 aircraft near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024. The plane was en route from Baku to Grozny when the incident occurred.

In its official statement, EASA advised airlines to avoid flying in Russian airspace west of longitude 60° East at all flight levels, per Caliber.Az.

This precaution also extends to non-EU air carriers holding EASA safety authorisation.

The directive is effective until July 31, 2025, with the possibility of revision. EASA, in collaboration with the European Commission, will continue monitoring the situation to assess the risks faced by EU and third-country operators.

The crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 resulted in the deaths of 38 passengers out of the 67 people on board. The remaining 29 passengers and crew survived the ordeal. Investigations revealed that the aircraft sustained catastrophic mid-flight damage after being struck by a missile.

According to Azerbaijani government sources, a Russian surface-to-air missile, launched during efforts to intercept Ukrainian drones over Grozny, Chechnya, hit the plane. The missile's shrapnel caused injuries among passengers and crew, further complicating the situation.

The pilots reportedly made multiple emergency landing requests, but Russian authorities denied access to nearby airports, directing the crippled aircraft to Aktau instead. During the flight, the plane’s GPS navigation systems were reportedly jammed, adding to the challenges faced by the crew.

Reports suggest the missile was fired from a Pantsir-S air defence system during Russian attempts to counter drone activity in the region.

On January 7, 2025, Brazil’s Aviation Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) announced the successful decoding of the flight recorders (black boxes) recovered from the crash site. The extracted data has been forwarded to Kazakh authorities for further analysis.

The findings will likely play a crucial role in determining the full circumstances of the tragedy and guiding international aviation safety measures.

By Tamilla Hasanova