Azerbaijan Airlines halts flights to seven Russian cities
Azerbaijan Airlines Suspends Flights to Seven Russian Cities
Azerbaijan Airlines has made the decision to suspend flights to seven Russian cities starting on December 28. The affected cities include Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, Mineralnye Vody, and Makhachkala.
This move comes after a tragic incident involving an Embraer 190 aircraft flying from Baku to Grozny. The plane crashed near Aktau Airport on December 25, resulting in the loss of 38 lives and leaving 29 survivors hospitalized. Among the deceased were six citizens of Kazakhstan, while three citizens of Kyrgyzstan were among those hospitalized.
In a press release, Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the decision to suspend flights was made following a preliminary investigation into the crash and consideration of potential risks to flight safety. The airline will resume operations to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Astrakhan, Kazan, and Novosibirsk.
The State Civil Aviation Agency of Azerbaijan issued instructions for the suspension of flights, prompting not only Azerbaijan Airlines but also Kazakh airline Qazaq Air to halt its flight from Astana to Yekaterinburg.
Criminal cases have been opened in Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan for violation of safety rules, with an additional case of negligence opened in Baku. The final investigation into the crash is ongoing, and flights to the affected Russian cities will remain suspended until further notice.
