Russian Emergencies Ministry special airplane arrives in Aktau to evacuate injured Russians to Moscow

A special flight of the Russian Emergencies Ministry with doctors on board has arrived in Kazakhstan's Aktau to evacuate to Moscow Russians injured in the hard landing of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane. This is reported on December 25, TASS.

It is noted that the arrived medics will decide together with colleagues from Kazakhstan, which of the victims can be sent to the Russian capital. During the flight, patients will be in special medical modules equipped with the necessary equipment to provide assistance.

Tragedy in Aktau: Baku-Grozny passenger plane crashed

A fire started at the scene and there are survivors

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the dispatch of a Russian Emergencies Ministry flight with medical personnel and equipment to Aktau at an informal summit of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the Russian leader expressed condolences to Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev in connection with the airplane crash, who was forced to leave the summit due to the tragedy.

A passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), en route Baku - Grozny, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau earlier in the day. After the crash, the aircraft caught fire. Fifty-two specialists and 11 units of equipment were sent to the crash site. Preliminarily, the cause of the fall of the airplane could be a collision with a flock of birds.

The passenger list of AZAL includes 62 passengers and five crew members. According to the latest data, nine Russians were hospitalized. Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev said that 38 people died as a result of the airplane crash. On the fact of the crash a criminal case was opened under the article "Violation of safety rules in the operation of vehicles, resulting in the negligent death of two or more persons".

Search and rescue operations continue at the site of the tragedy. Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights from Baku to Grozny and Makhachkala until the investigation is completed. Aliyev declared December 26 a day of mourning in the republic for the victims of the plane crash.