Kazakh, Azerbaijani foreign ministers exchange condolences over AZAL plane crash victims

On December 25, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu initiated a telephone call to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

The talks heard Nurtleu offering condolences to Bayramov in connection with the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane in the Kazakh city of Aktau, Caliber.Az reports.

The Kazakh diplomat stressed that from the moment of the plane crash, Kazakhstan's emergency situation bodies were mobilized and took an active part in the elimination of the consequences of the accident. 

Nurtleu added that an investigation team has been created to investigate the causes of the crash and appropriate measures are being taken. 

Bayramov thanked Murat Nurtleu for his condolences, in turn, also expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the citizens of Kazakhstan, all the brotherly Kazakh people, thanked for their support.

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.

At the time of the crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was en route to an informal summit of CIS heads of state in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Upon learning of the crash while still in Russian airspace, President Aliyev ordered his return to Baku to oversee the response efforts.

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.

Sadly, 38 people lost their lives in the crash, while 29 survived.

The international community has expressed condolences to Azerbaijan, with leaders and organizations worldwide offering messages of sympathy and solidarity to the victims' families.

On December 26, Azerbaijan declared a day of mourning to honour the victims.

By Khagan Isayev