President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his condolences to
the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the people of the country, as well
as to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the plane
crash near Aktau. In his telegram, the Head of State noted that he received the
tragic news of the death of the passengers and crew of the aircraft, which
belonged to Azerbaijan Airlines, with deep sorrow. Upon President Tokayev’s
instruction, a state commission has been set up in Kazakhstan. It will
investigate the causes of the plane crash and assist the families of the
victims and the injured. The crashed airliner, which had 67 people onboard,
including five crew members, was operating a flight from Baku to Grozny. The
passengers are citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz
Republic. The tragedy is believed to have been caused by a bird strike and the
loss of control over the aircraft.
«Hotlines are active in Astana’s operations center and at
the Mangystau regional department of emergency situations, with 296 calls
already received. The lists of the deceased and injured are being updated. Colonel
General Kemaleddin Fattah ogly Heydarov, Azerbaijan's Minister of Emergency
Situations, has arrived in the city of Aktau,» noted Asset Zhilkaidarov, head of
the department at the Emergency Prevention Committee of the Kazakh Ministry for
Emergency Situations.
It is reported that 29 people survived, including two
children. All of them have been promptly transported to hospitals, with their
condition varying in severity. Blood collection for the victims continues in
Astana and Aktau. Additionally, upon the instruction of President Tokayev, a
medical evacuation flight has been dispatched from the capital to Aktau.
«All necessary medical assistance is being provided in full.
The entire regional ambulance service is involved,» said Bekbolat Izbassarov, head
of the Mangystau region Healthcare Department.
According to the country’s Ministry, over 400 rescuers and
around 80 units of equipment are working at the scene, along with more than 20
ambulance crews. A criminal case has been opened in connection with the crash,
which is under special control of the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office.
The Kazakh government is cooperating with Azerbaijan to conduct a comprehensive
investigation.
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