According to the latest data, around 600 calls have been received on the hotline
On December 25, 2024, a passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, while attempting an emergency landing, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Before the сrash
The flight had initially been en route from Baku to Grozny. The plane entered Kazakhstan's airspace at 11:02 local time, after obtaining prior clearance and reporting a potential bird strike to the dispatcher.
The aircraft, an Embraer ERJ-190, made two turns near Aktau airfield before the crash. At 11:28, communication with the aircraft was lost, and around 11:30, it collided with the ground during its third turn.
Search efforts continue at the crash site. Photo credit: Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Crash and rescue operations
At 11:30, information was received about a plane crash 3 kilometers from the airport. It was revealed that the aircraft did not make a hard landing but instead crashed, with wreckage found at the crash site.
As of 11:45, the fire was localized and extinguished by 12:05. Rescuers were quickly dispatched to the crash site, where they began working to rescue survivors from the wreckage. A total of 38 people died, 29 survived. Among the dead was a child, whose identity is still being confirmed. Of the crew, 3 survived, 2 died.
As of 14:10, 29 people, including 2 children, had been taken to medical facilities. Of these, 15 are citizens of Azerbaijan, 9 are citizens of Russia, 3 are citizens of Kyrgyzstan, and the citizenship of 2 people is being clarified.
According to Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a total of 27 injured individuals were taken to the Mangistau Regional Hospital. Of the 27 people admitted to the hospital, 11 in serious condition were placed in intensive care. Two children, aged 11 and 16, are being prepared for surgery.
The aircraft was carrying 67 people, including five crew members. According to preliminary information, 42 citizens of Azerbaijan, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan and 16 from Russia were onboard the plane. Efforts to assist the victims and determine the cause of the crash are ongoing.
The circumstances of the plane crash are still under investigation, and a special inquiry will be conducted. The flight recorder was found and added to the evidence.
Photo credit: Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In response to the crash, a team from Azerbaijan, led by President Ilham ALIYEV, has been dispatched to Kazakhstan to assist with the investigation. The General Consul of Azerbaijan in Aktau, Ayhan Suleymanli, has also traveled to the site. President Aliyev, who had been scheduled to attend the CIS summit in Saint Petersburg, is now returning to Baku to oversee the response to the disaster. A national day of mourning has been declared in Azerbaijan for December 26
President Kassym-Jomart TOKAYEV has ordered a full investigation into the crash, with a dedicated commission to oversee the proceedings. In addition, medical personnel and trauma specialists have been dispatched to Aktau to provide support for the survivors. The case is under the special control of Kazakhstan's Prosecutor General, Berik ASYLOV.
490 people, 97 pieces of equipment, 2 aircraft, and 10 canine units have been deployed to deal with the aftermath. According to the latest data, around 600 calls have been received on the hotline.
Photo credit: t.me/qr_tjm.
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