Tengrinews.kz - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the people of Kazakhstan during a phone call, according to the Azerbaijani leader's press service.
The two presidents exchanged condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the plane crash, which involved citizens of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
"President Ilham Aliyev personally thanked the President of Kazakhstan for conducting rescue operations. The Azerbaijani leader praised the efforts of Kazakh rescuers, who promptly took the necessary measures and actively participated in saving injured passengers," the statement said.
Aliyev also expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan's medical personnel for their care and professional assistance, noting that most of the injured have already returned to Azerbaijan, although some citizens are still receiving treatment in Kazakhstan.
The Azerbaijani president highlighted the solidarity shown by ordinary Kazakh citizens, describing it as a testament to the close bond between the two friendly and brotherly nations, which is deeply valued by Azerbaijani society.
Baku-Grozny plane crash near Aktau: What happened?
On December 25, a passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines, flight AHY8243, crashed near Aktau.
The plane took off at 08:49 A.M. Astana time from Baku airport, 11 minutes earlier than scheduled. Due to thick fog in Grozny, the plane was first rerouted to Makhachkala, and then to Aktau. Flying over the Caspian Sea, the crew gave the signal "emergency" (squawk 7700). The pilots requested an emergency landing, the airport was preparing to accept the aircraft, but at 11:30 A.M. the plane crashed 3 kilometers from the airport.
The official cause of the incident remains unknown. Various theories are circulating in the media, including a bird strike in the aircraft's engine or an oxygen cylinder explosion in the cabin. The black box was recovered the same evening, and experts will now work on decoding its data.
Investigation
An interdepartmental investigative and operational group has been formed under the leadership of the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan. The group includes specialists from the Transport Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The investigation is under the personal supervision of the Prosecutor General and the Minister of Internal Affairs. Specialists from Embraer have flown to Kazakhstan.
Number of passengers on board
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, there were 69 people on board, including 5 crew members:
42 citizens of Azerbaijan;
16 citizens of Russia;
6 citizens of Kazakhstan;
3 citizens of Kyrgyzstan;
two unidentified women of unknown citizenship, one about 32 years old, the other about 40 years old
Among the survivors are citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. According to our information, as of now, 29 people survived the crash, but some are in critical condition. There are no Kazakhstani survivors.
List of deceased Kazakhstani citizens:
Sandibek Ekibaevich Tulesinov, born on 16.11.1988, originally from the Mangystau Region, resided in Zhanaozen.
Bauyrzhan Jumabaevich Jumagulov, born on 30.09.1985, originally from the Mangystau Region, resided in Zhanaozen.
Galina Rustambekovna Makhsudova, born on 12.01.1978, originally from the Mangystau Region, resided in Aktau.
Gaukhar Zhumagatovna Shaimerdenova, born on 17.07.1975, originally from Almaty, resided in Astana.
Eldar Zhumagat, son of Gaukhar Shaimerdenova, born on 23.08.2013, resided in Astana.
Salima Amanzholovna Jutaeva, born on 21.02.1995, originally from the Kostanay Region, resided in Karaganda.
Nine injured Russian citizens were sent to Moscow on the morning of December 26. Survivors of the incident from Azerbaijan will also be transported home. Among the survivors are two crew members—flight attendants Aidan Ragimli and Zulfugar Asadov. Both are conscious. The flight attendant was previously shown in a video.
