Tengrinews.kz - The President of Azerbaijan thanked Kazakhstan.
On December 29, Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Azerbaijani television at the International Airport, where he commented on the tragic plane crash near Aktau.
"First of all, I called President Tokayev to express my gratitude. We knew and received information that immediately after the accident, Kazakh rescuers arrived at the scene promptly and began extracting people from the destroyed fuselage," noted the publication Sfera.az.
Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the rescuers risked their lives:
"They did not know if another explosion would occur or not. Part of the plane was already on fire, and the flames could have spread to other parts. But despite this, they demonstrated true heroism. I also want to highlight the actions of the medical personnel, who were extremely valuable. The injured passengers were immediately transported to medical facilities. Therefore, I expressed my gratitude to President Tokayev.
The solidarity of our Kazakh brothers and sisters has left a deep mark in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people," emphasized President Ilham Aliyev.
He also noted that ordinary citizens of Kazakhstan visited the Azerbaijani consulate in Aktau, laid flowers, and expressed their support.
"This is true friendship and brotherhood. Additionally, in my conversation with President Tokayev, I outlined Azerbaijan's position on the investigation and informed him that we support international expertise and, under no circumstances, can we transfer this matter to the Interstate Aviation Committee. This position was understood. Naturally, representatives of our state structures, commission members, leaders, and prosecutors are in constant contact. Kazakhstan, for its part, has created a state commission, as President Tokayev informed me during our conversation. They also aim to ensure that the issue is fully investigated and clarified," noted the President of Azerbaijan.
Aliyev also mentioned that he expressed his condolences to President Tokayev, as six Kazakh citizens lost their lives in the accident.
"He also expressed his condolences to me. Despite the severity of this tragedy, it was a kind of test—how each side would behave in such a situation. I am glad that, despite this tragedy, I see and am confident that the people of Kazakhstan feel the same. Our friendship and brotherhood have become even stronger after this difficult trial," said Ilham Aliyev.
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.
