Aliyev interrupts visit to Russia because of plane crash in Aktau

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has interrupted his visit to Russia and returned to Baku in connection with the crash of a passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines in Aktau (Kazakhstan). This was reported by the press service of the state leader on Wednesday, December 25.

The Azerbaijani leader expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the crash and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

The government of Kazakhstan is cooperating with Azerbaijan in the investigation of the cause of the aircraft crash.

"The Commission has been instructed to immediately fly to the scene of the accident, provide a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the plane crash, take measures to provide priority assistance to the families of the dead and injured," the government said in a statement in its Telegram channel.

Tragedy in Aktau: Baku-Grozny passenger plane crashed

A fire started at the scene and there are survivors

Thedowning of theairplane in Kazakhstan occurred earlier in the day. Before the crash, the board gave an emergency signal. At the scene 52 specialists and 11 units of equipment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan are working, they began to extinguish the fire. In the command center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations formed an operational headquarters. The preliminary cause of the crash of the aircraft was its collision with a flock of birds.

28 people were taken to hospitals. According to the Ministry of Transport of the Republic, 16 Russian citizens were on board.