If the plane was shot down, it’s a miracle that anyone survived.

Axar.az reports that this statement was made by James Shepard, a Boeing flight training captain and aviation expert.

"If, as looks likely, the aircraft was shot down judging by the shrapnel damage around the tail, then the fact the flight crew kept it airborne and under control for as long as they did is impressive, and the fact anyone survived is miraculous," he said.

It should be noted that an AZAL passenger plane en route from Baku to Grozny crashed in Aktau. Out of the 67 passengers and crew members on board, 29 survived.

The holes in the tail have led to speculation that the plane was damaged by shrapnel.