Tengrinews.kz - A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev due to the plane crash near Aktau.
Opening the meeting, the President once again expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims. He recalled that among the victims of the tragedy that occurred several days ago as a result of the plane crash in the Mangistau region, there were also citizens of Kazakhstan.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that emergency services acted in a coordinated and prompt manner at the time of the disaster.
"We were able to prevent much more serious consequences of the accident and save many human lives. The rescue work was carried out at a high level. Comprehensive information about the incident was promptly communicated to the public. From the first minutes, our citizens extended a helping hand to the victims, showing solidarity, sincere compassion and organization. People lined up to donate blood. Many of our compatriots laid flowers at the building of the Azerbaijani embassy. This reaction was widely covered by both domestic and foreign media. The whole world witnessed the selfless work of our rescuers, doctors and volunteers. Special gratitude is expressed by citizens of neighboring friendly countries - Azerbaijan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan," the Head of State said.
The President instructed the government to present state awards to the most distinguished citizens who demonstrated courage and high professionalism during the liquidation of the consequences of the air crash.
The head of state also instructed the government commission to provide all necessary medical and psychological assistance to the injured foreign citizens, and to pay special attention to the relatives of the deceased citizens of Kazakhstan. The government commission and the Prosecutor General's Office, together with other authorized bodies, were instructed to ensure a comprehensive and objective investigation of the air crash.
Baku-Grozny plane crash near Aktau: what happened?
Azerbaijan Airlines plane, flying from Baku (Azerbaijan) to Grozny (Russia), crashed three kilometers from Aktau at 11:30 AM local time on December 25. The passenger flight was unable to land in Grozny due to heavy fog, first it was redirected to Makhachkala, and then to Aktau.
The official cause of the incident is still unknown. The media are spreading various theories, including a bird getting into the plane's engine, as well as an oxygen tank exploding in the cabin. The black box was found in the evening of the same day, now experts will have to decipher its data.
Investigation
An interdepartmental investigative task force has been created under the leadership of the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan. It includes specialists from the transport prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The investigation is under the special control of the Prosecutor General and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Embraer specialists have flown to Kazakhstan.
How many people were 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.
Azerbaijan Airlines also published a full list of passengers.
What is known about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed near Aktau?
The aircraft that crashed near Aktau was an Embraer ERJ-190, a twin-engine jet widely used for short and medium-haul flights. The aircraft are manufactured by a Brazilian company. The ERJ-190 (E190) is designed to carry between 96 and 114 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. These aircraft can fly up to 4500 kilometers.
