“We were well looked after in Kazakhstan” - Azerbaijani citizens who survived the plane crash
"I have a broken finger, it's in a cast, and there are bruises. We were well looked after in Kazakhstan. They are also looking after us very well here. We are happy with everything. It couldn't be better - we are being looked after at the highest level," said Nurullah Siracov, a resident of Zagatala district, who was taken to Azerbaijan after the plane crash in Aktau.
Photo: report.az
Siracov also stressed that he knows nothing about the fate of his wife.
"I would like to know where and in what condition she is. I really want to meet her. We were sitting next to each other on the plane. I haven't seen her since. The only person I miss is my wife," he added.
Another victim of the plane crash near Aktau, Samir Dervishov, said that he was flying to Grozny with his father. They were going to visit his brother and look for work.
Photo: report.az
"My condition is stable. The doctors are looking after us very well. I have undergone all the examinations. They also looked after us in Kazakhstan, thank you to them," he said.
Azerbaijan praises medical assistance provided to victims in Kazakhstan
Baku-Grozny plane crash near Aktau: what happened?
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.
The official cause of the incident is still unknown. The media are spreading various theories, including a bird getting into the plane's engine, as well as an oxygen tank exploding in the cabin. The black box was found in the evening of the same day, now experts will have to decipher its data.
Investigation
An interdepartmental investigative task force has been created under the leadership of the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan. It includes specialists from the transport prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The investigation is under the special control of the Prosecutor General and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Embraer specialists have flown to Kazakhstan.
How many people were on board?
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.
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.