MISSILES blitzing planes out of the sky have become the biggest killer of flyers across the world as the latest crash appears to pour more blood on Vladimir Putin’s hands.
A Christmas Day disaster saw an Azerbaijan Airlines flight explode and fireball near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan.
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on 27 DecemberGetty
APA Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air rocket launched by pro-Russian rebels destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17[/caption]
EPAMembers of the International Red Crescent collect dead bodies after a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 was shot down in 2020[/caption]
The tragic flight J2-8243 crash killed 38 of its 67 passengers and highlighted a new worrying trend threatening travellers.
Aviation experts have revealed jets being shot out of the sky has been the biggest threat to airline passengers in the last decade.
In fact, dangers like terrorism or technical problems have not come close to the number of casualties caused by shootdowns since 2014.
The overall number of people killed in horrifying missile-shot plane attacks has risen to over 500, according to the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network.
This is a huge change as no tragic shootdowns were recorded in the decade before this.
Wednesday’s crash was the third major commercial jet to be shot out of the sky due to political clashes in the last 10 years.
A Russian missile reportedly blasted this Azerbaijan Airlines flight as it flew over an area of Chechnya in Russia, where Moscow has repeatedly used air defence systems against Ukranian drones.
The jet, which set off from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to Grozny, in Chechnya, started flying in an erratic pattern as the hero pilots fought for control of the damaged jet.
They tried to descend towards Aktau Airport but continued struggling to control the doomed aircraft, and crash-landed the plane.
This horrific tragedy has now brought the number of passenger deaths linked to evil Putin up to 330.
On Wednesday, authorities in Russia and Kazakhstan both claimed the crash was caused by a bird strike.
Despite this, Russian military analysts from the Conflict Intelligence Team noted bullet holes appeared to have been found on the wreckage.
An aviation risk specialist Andy Blackwell described these attacks as a new genuine threat flyers should consider, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Blackwell said “It adds to the worrying catalog of shootdowns now.
Air disasters since 2014
If confirmed, the Christmas Day Azerbaijan Airlines crash could be the third deadly jet shooting in the past 10 years.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243
The tragic Christmas Day disaster saw 38 of the flight’s 67 passengers killed when the plane crash-landed.
Fingers have pointed at Vladimir Putin after the flight crashed over Cechnya, in Southern Russia.
Russian authorities claimed a bird could have been behind the disaster but images from the crash have reportedly showed bullet holes on the wreckage.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17
A Russian-made missile horrifically shot down a Malaysia Airlines flight over Ukraine in 2014.
All 283 passengers and 15 crew, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were killed when Russian-backed forces launched the attack from an occupied part of Ukraine.
Shocking images showed debris spread throughout the Russian-controlled area.
The dead included ten Britons, 193 Dutch, 38 Australians and 43 Malaysians. Eighty victims were children.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752
The flight was accidentally shot down in January 2020 after it left Tehran airport in Iran.
All 176 people on board were killed by the country’s anti-missile system.
The blast was launched during the height of Iranian and American political tensions.
A Revolutionary Guards air defence unit launched the strike as its missile defence systems were on alert for potential US strikes.
10 people were jailed by Iranian courts in 2023 after the horrifying attack.
“You’ve got the conventional threats, from terrorists and terrorist groups, but now you’ve got this accidental risk as well.”
JET DISASTER
If confirmed, Wednesday’s attack marks the second time in a decade that Russia has downed a passenger plane after the 2014 MH17 crash in Ukraine.
All 283 passengers and 15 crew on the Malaysia Airlines flight, from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were killed when the jet was shot down by Russian-backed forces.
Smouldering debris and personal belongings were found scattered over a large area in territory controlled by pro-Russia rebels.
Over half of the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane died after the plane crashed landedReuters
ReutersThe cause of this crash has not been confirmed yet but images showed suspected bullet holes on the Azerbaijan Airlines craft[/caption]
X/yo2thokHarrowing footage showed passengers moments before the Christmas Day fireball plane crash in Kazakhstan[/caption]
A 15-month investigation by the Dutch Safety Board revealed the aircraft had been hit by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile.
A Ukraine International Airlines flight was accidentally blitzed in January 2020 by Iran.
All 176 people on board were killed by a Revolutionary Guards air defence unit when the flight left from Tehran.
Flight PS752 was blasted during the height of Iranian and American political tensions, as the country’s anti-missile system had been on alert for potential US strikes.
Iranian courts jailed 10 people in 2023 over the horrifying incident.
APUkrainian Emergency workers carry a victim’s body in a body bag at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17[/caption]
APA pro-Russian rebel touches the MH17 wreckage at the crash site on 22 July 2014[/caption]
EPAVictims possessions around the wreckage after Iran accidentally shot down a Ukraine Airlines flight in 2020[/caption]