Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office provides update on Baku-Grozny plane crash investigation

The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan has released an official statement regarding the ongoing investigation into the crash of an Embraer-190 aircraft. The aircraft, which was en route from Baku to Grozny owned by Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, crashed on December 25 near Aktau, Kazakhstan.

The investigation into the criminal case, initiated after the crash, is ongoing, Caliber.Az reports. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan, significant efforts have been made to ensure a thorough and objective inquiry into the incident. The investigation involves cooperation between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Brazil.

Following orders from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev has been in close contact with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Brazil, as well as with the Chairman of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, since the day of the crash.

In a statement, the Prosecutor General emphasized that large-scale investigative actions were carried out at the scene of the crash, with experts and investigators from all involved nations working to ensure a comprehensive investigation.

Prosecutor General Aliyev and his Kazakh counterpart, Berik Asylov, have discussed the legal aspects of the investigation, including the proper assessment of collected evidence and the inspection of the crash site. Aliyev expressed his gratitude for Kazakhstan’s full support in joint investigative actions.

In talks with Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, Aliyev highlighted the support provided by Russian authorities to the Azerbaijani prosecutors dispatched to Grozny. Aliyev also stressed the importance of effective cooperation and the exchange of collected evidence between both sides.

Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, informed Aliyev that a specialized investigation team had been established to carry out a detailed and objective examination of the crash. Bastrykin confirmed that all possible causes of the crash, including external interference, are being thoroughly investigated. He assured that the intensive efforts are being made to identify the responsible parties and hold them criminally accountable. 

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan has pledged to keep the public informed on the progress of the investigation as it unfolds.

By Vafa Guliyeva