A crash involving a passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines in Aktau has resulted in the deaths of 38 people, according to Kazakhstan’s Vice Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, who heads the commission investigating the incident.
He stated that 29 people have been hospitalized, including two children. Eleven of the injured are in serious condition, while the rest are in moderate condition. The identity of one of the victims has not yet been determined, as they remain unconscious.
The bodies of the deceased were severely burned, and a special procedure will be conducted for identification. The Embraer 190 aircraft, traveling from Baku to Grozny, crashed on the morning of December 25 near Aktau. There were 62 passengers and five crew members on board. Among the passengers were 16 Russians, 37 Azerbaijanis, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz citizens. Nine Russian nationals have been hospitalized.
The press service of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev reported that the plane changed its course due to bad weather conditions, and the crash occurred during the landing in Aktau. The President emphasized that various theories are being considered, and the investigation must be completed to determine the cause of the incident, including the possibility of a bird strike.
