A criminal investigation was under way into the passenger plane crash early on Wednesday in Kazakhstan, killing at least 38 people, Azerbaijan’s leader said.View on euronews

Russia and Kazakhstan have tried to calm speculation about the cause of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, following claims that it was shot down by Russian air defence systems.On Thursday, Moscow urged calm as its foreign minister said it would be wrong to draw conclusions before an investigation into the crash was complete.

The flight was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Grozny, in Russia’s south, when it diverted and attempted an emergency landing in Kazakhstan.

An Azerbaijani airliner has crashed in Kazakhstan after being diverted, killing 38 of 67 people on board. Some things to know about the crash and the speculation about a possible cause: How did the plane crash?

Officials say an Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau. At least 32 survived.

At least 38 people were killed in an Azerbaijan Airlines crash that was likely caused by Russian antiaircraft fire, according to Ukraine and aviation experts. Photo: Azamat Sarsenbayev/Reuters

Azerbaijan held a day of mourning on Thursday for the dozens of victims of an airliner crash in Kazakhstan, as questions were being asked over the cause of the disaster.

Azerbaijan observed a day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the disaster.