Body of AZAL pilot to be delivered to Baku for final farewell

The body of Aleksandr Kalyaninov, a 32-year-old pilot of the AZAL plane that crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, will be delivered to Baku tonight or December 29 morning, his mother, Elena Kalyaninova said.

Kalyaninov was piloting the Baku-Grozny flight, which tragically crashed earlier this week, Caliber.Az reports.

His mother confirmed the news and shared details of the arrangements for his farewell. The public farewell ceremony will take place at Baku International Airport between 10:00 and 12:00, following which Kalyaninov will be laid to rest at the second Alley of Honor.

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

The flight was carrying 67 people in total: 62 passengers and 5 crew members. Among the passengers were 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyzstani nationals.

Unfortunately, 38 people lost their lives in the crash, including 3 crew members, while 29 survived.

By Vafa Guliyeva