Kazakhstan's Aktau commemorates AZAL crash victims in anniversary gathering PHOTO

A ceremony was held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, to honour the anniversary of the AZAL airline plane crash, Caliber.Az reports, citing Azertag.

The event, held at the crash site, was organised by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Aktau. It was attended by consulate staff, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora, and local residents.

Also present were accredited consuls and diplomats from Türkiye, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the Chairpersons of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan and the Council of Elders. Participants paid tribute to the victims with a moment of silence and laid flowers at the site.

Speaking at the ceremony, Azerbaijan’s Consul General in Aktau, Aykhan Suleymanli, noted that the heroism of Azerbaijani pilots may have prevented even higher casualties in the tragedy.

The Consul General took the opportunity to once again express his gratitude to the people and the state of Kazakhstan.

He emphasised that during these difficult days, the Kazakh people and state, by not leaving Azerbaijan alone, once again demonstrated that they are true friends.

Suleymanli also noted that thanks to the high-level rescue operations carried out promptly by the relevant authorities, further casualties were prevented.

He mentioned that the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan awarded Kazakh citizens and employees of relevant agencies who had shown active involvement.

The Consul General particularly highlighted the solidarity shown by the Kazakh people both in the days following the tragedy and during difficult moments.

Suleymanli expressed hope that Russia would provide a legal assessment of the incident.

Later, the chairman of the ethno-cultural association “Dostlug,” Shamsaddin Huseynov, expressed gratitude to all those present at the ceremony. He recalled that one year ago, it was at this location that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had crashed, and that today, participants gathered to honour the memory of this tragedy.

Huseynov noted that in the days following the tragedy, the people of Kazakhstan demonstrated enormous support, particularly through voluntary blood donations and active participation in aid campaigns.

Nowhere in the world can one find an example of solidarity and support on such a scale in such a short time, he underscored.

In conclusion, Huseynov, once again expressed, on his own behalf and on behalf of all Azerbaijanis living in Kazakhstan, gratitude to the Kazakh people.

The chairman of the regional Council of Elders of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Onaybek Abdilov, solemnly honoured the memory of the victims and emphasised the special importance of solidarity and mutual assistance between peoples during such difficult events.

Speakers at the event stated that the anniversary of the tragedy is marked by deep sorrow, stressing that the memory of the deceased will always be honoured with respect, and this tragic event will never be forgotten.

As part of the memorial ceremony, a khidmat (charitable meal) was organised by the Azerbaijani diaspora.

On December 25, 2024, an Embraer 190 aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), operating flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, crashed 3 km from Aktau, Kazakhstan. Preliminary investigations indicate that the plane was hit by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system while approaching Grozny.

There were 67 people on board—62 passengers and five crew members—including 42 Azerbaijani citizens (37 passengers, five crew), 16 Russians, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz citizens. The crash claimed 38 lives, while 29 survived. Among the deceased were the aircraft commander Igor Kshnyakin, co-pilot Aleksandr Kalyaninov, and flight attendant Khokuma Aliyeva.

By Khagan Isayev