Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan's investigation into the disaster told Reuters on Thursday that Russian air defences had mistakenly shot it down.

BAKU: A passenger on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan told Reuters that there was at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination of Grozny in southern Russia

BAKU: A passenger on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan told Reuters that there was at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination of Grozny in southern Russia

Two passengers on 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 in southern Russia.

One passenger says it was as if the plane was "drunk", while airline says it went down due to "physical and technical external interference".

Some passengers can be heard praying and others are panicking as they know the Azerbaijan Airlines plane is going down, according to a video recorded inside the cabin

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, had reportedly requested an emergency landing before the incident.