Kazakh Prime Minister instructed to strengthen aviation safety
Tengrinews.kz - Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov was briefed on the work of the government commission at the site of the plane crash in Aktau.
It was reported that rescue services have completed their search efforts. 38 people were killed, and 29 were hospitalized. All the victims were examined and received the necessary assistance. Specialists from Astana, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, and Azerbaijan's air ambulance services have been involved. Relatives are being supported with accommodation, transfer, and food. A state of emergency has been declared in the Tupkaragan district. Representatives from Brazil's aviation authorities and Embraer are expected to arrive for the investigation.
Bektenov issued a series of instructions to enhance aviation safety.
"This tragic event shows that we also need to take certain measures regarding flight safety. First and foremost, an unscheduled inspection should be conducted, and the technical condition of airports and aircraft should be placed under special control. As part of the ongoing activities, it is necessary to recheck the qualifications, certifications, and competence of the crews of our airlines. To ensure prompt response to aviation incidents, we need to improve the emergency rescue operations mechanism and ensure coordinated work of the relevant state agencies. We must draw the right conclusions from this situation and develop specific recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future," emphasized the Prime Minister.
Earlier, the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, flying from Baku (Azerbaijan) to Grozny (Russia), crashed three kilometers from Aktau at 11:30 AM local time on December 25. The passenger flight was unable to land in Grozny due to heavy fog, first it was redirected to Makhachkala, and then to Aktau.
There are several versions of the cause of the crash. According to one version, the crash was caused by a collision of the plane with a flock of birds. Other media outlets report that an oxygen tank exploded on board. The Embraer lost control and crashed when it was less than 3 minutes away from Aktau Airport.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, there were 69 people on board, including 5 crew members:
42 citizens of Azerbaijan;
16 citizens of Russia;
6 citizens of Kazakhstan;
3 citizens of Kyrgyzstan;
two unidentified women of unknown citizenship, one about 32 years old, the other about 40 years old.
Azerbaijan Airlines also published a full list of passengers.
According to the latest data, there are 29 survivors, citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
What is known about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed near Aktau?
The aircraft that crashed near Aktau was an Embraer ERJ-190, a twin-engine jet widely used for short and medium-haul flights. The aircraft are manufactured by a Brazilian company. The ERJ-190 (E190) is designed to carry between 96 and 114 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. These aircraft can fly up to 4500 kilometers.
According to Flightaware, the aircraft took off from the airport 11 minutes ahead of schedule. While cruising over the Caspian Sea, the aircraft issued an emergency squawk 7700.
On December 26, residents of the Mangystau region saw off nine Russian citizens injured in the plane crash in Aktau to Moscow, according to the press service of the regional akimat (local government administration).