Baku, December 26 (UITV) – Azerbaijan on Wednesday declared a day of national mourning after a tragic air crash that killed 67 people, including 62 passengers and five crew members. The accident took place near the Russian city of Grozny, when an Embraer 190 passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines, which was flying from Baku to Grozny, Russia, crashed near Aktau airport in Kazakhstan. 28 people were reported to have survived the accident, while the rest lost their lives in the accident.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev ordered a day of mourning in the country after the accident. Aliyev was travelling to a summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, when he received the news of the plane crash. Upon receiving the news, the President ordered his plane to return immediately and an atmosphere of mourning prevailed in the country.
After the accident, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) said that rescue operations were underway and 28 people were found alive. MES sent a team of 52 personnel and 11 pieces of equipment to the crash site, where the plane caught fire. In addition, Azerbaijan Airlines informed on the X platform that there were a total of 67 people on board the plane, including 62 passengers and five crew members. According to Kazakh media, the passengers on board the plane included 37 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 of Russia, 6 of Kazakhstan and 3 of Kyrgyzstan.
According to preliminary reports, a major cause of the plane crash is being said to be a collision of the plane with a bird. During an emergency, the plane faced difficulties while entering Russia’s territorial airspace. According to the Xinhua news agency, an emergency signal was sent in flight to the plane when it was flying over the Caspian Sea. According to reports, the plane was not allowed to land at Gronji Airport due to fog and was diverted to Makhachkala and later to Aktau.
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According to the plane’s flight tracking apps, the plane was flying over the Caspian Sea and heading towards its destination in Chechnya. As the plane crossed the Russian border, it started circling near the airport. After this, the plane requested for an emergency landing. The plane crashed a few kilometers from the airport at 6:28 am local time.
The President of Azerbaijan expressed condolences after the accident and said that this tragic incident has plunged the whole country into mourning. He expressed deep condolences from his government and citizens to those who lost their lives in the accident. After this accident, Azerbaijan declared national mourning and dedicated this day to paying tribute. Also, President Aliyev asked the officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident and take strict action against whoever is found guilty.
After the plane crash, many countries and leaders expressed their condolences to Azerbaijan. Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries mourned the incident and expressed their support to Azerbaijan. Survivors of the tragedy are being treated and assisted and authorities have made every effort for relief work.
Another aspect of this accident is that the plane was an Embraer 190, which is a normal passenger aircraft. This aircraft can carry 96 to 114 passengers, this number can change depending on its cabin configuration. This aircraft can fly up to 4,500 kilometers and is regularly used for short and medium haul flights.
This incident is a deep tragedy not only for Azerbaijan but the whole world, which raises questions about the safety and rescue measures of air travel. Experts believe that air safety standards can be further strengthened after a full investigation into the causes of this accident.
The international community has expressed deep condolences over this tragic incident and supported the rescue efforts of Azerbaijan and Russia. This incident is a reminder that air travel is dangerous and safety measures need to be re-evaluated after each accident.
