Azerbaijani officials inspect plane crash site in Aktau as investigation begins

A high-level Azerbaijani government delegation which arrived in Aktau, Kazakhstan, has inspected the site of the tragic plane crash involving an AZAL aircraft.

Responding swiftly to the incident, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev ordered the delegation’s deployment to assess the situation and investigate the causes behind the crash, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Under the president's instructions, the delegation included the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, the Minister of Emergency Situations, the Deputy Prosecutor General, the Deputy Minister of Health, the Deputy Director of the State Civil Aviation Agency, and the Vice President of AZAL, alongside other key officials from relevant government bodies.

Their mission is to thoroughly examine the crash site and determine the cause of the disaster.

The tragic event occurred on December 25 when an Embraer 190 aircraft, operating flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, crashed in Aktau while attempting an emergency landing.

At the time of the crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was attending an informal summit of CIS heads of state in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Upon receiving news of the crash while still in Russian airspace, President Aliyev immediately instructed his return to Baku to oversee the response efforts.

The flight carried a total of 67 people, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members, as confirmed by Azerbaijan Airlines. Among those aboard were 37 Azerbaijani nationals, 16 Russian citizens, 6 from Kazakhstan, and 3 from Kyrgyzstan.

The international community has expressed its condolences to Azerbaijan following the tragedy, with world leaders and organizations sending messages of sympathy and solidarity to the victims' families and the people of Azerbaijan during this difficult time.

By Tamilla Hasanova