Embraer 190 aircraft, which was en route from Baku to the southern Russian city of Grozny, crashed in western Kazakhstan, resulting in the death of 38 individuals. The aircraft went down near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, carrying 67 passengers.
Azerbaijan Airlines confirmed that the aircraft “made an emergency landing” during the incident. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport stated that the plane was on the Baku-Grozny route and carried 37 Azerbaijanis, 6 Kazakhs, 3 Kyrgyz, and 16 Russians.
Emergency services managed to extinguish the fire, and 28 injured individuals, including two children, were transferred to hospitals. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health dispatched a special flight from Astana with medical teams and doctors.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared December 26 a day of national mourning and canceled his participation in a planned informal summit with Russia.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan also expressed condolences and offered support. He wrote in his message, “On this tragic occasion, Pakistan shares the grief of President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan. We stand with the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
