29 Hospitalized in Crash of Baku-Grozny Flight near Aktau
The recent plane crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines flight has left 29 people hospitalized, including two children. The incident occurred near Aktau on Dec. 25 while the flight was en route from Baku to Grozny. The Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations is currently working on clarifying the lists of the deceased and injured individuals.
Preliminary reports indicate that 27 of the victims have been taken to a multidisciplinary hospital in the Mangystau Region. Eleven of them are in critical condition and are receiving intensive care, while the two children, aged 11 and 16, are undergoing preparations for surgery at a regional children’s hospital.
Over 430 rescue personnel and nearly 80 units of equipment have been mobilized for the ongoing rescue operations. The victims are receiving medical, psychological, and other forms of assistance to help them through this tragic event.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has briefed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the government commission’s efforts to investigate the crash’s causes and provide support to the victims. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev is leading the commission’s efforts at the crash site, where they are interacting with hospitalized victims and foreign counterparts. Bozumbayev is currently chairing a meeting at the emergency headquarters.
President Tokayev has emphasized the importance of maintaining strict control over the assistance provided to the affected citizens and coordinating closely with the government of Azerbaijan to support foreign nationals and the families of the deceased.
In a gesture of solidarity, residents of Astana have been leaving flowers at the Azerbaijani Embassy to express their condolences. Additionally, many individuals have lined up at the city’s Blood Center to donate blood for the injured survivors, following the example set by the residents of Aktau.
