Russian Federation informs Kazakhstan of readiness to cooperate on air crash investigation

Moscow immediately informed Astana about its readiness to cooperate in the investigation of the plane crash of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), flying from Baku to Grozny and crashed in Kazakhstan's Aktau. This was announced by the head of Rosaviatsia Dmitry Yadrov on December 27.

"In connection with the crash of the Embraer plane near Aktau, the Russian side immediately informed the Kazakh and Azerbaijani colleagues of its full and comprehensive readiness to cooperate in the investigation of this tragedy," Yadrov said, his words are quoted in his Telegram channel by Rosaviatsia representative Artem Korenyako.

The head of the agency added that it is necessary to fully and thoroughly verify all the circumstances of the airplane crash.

Tragedy in Aktau: Baku-Grozny passenger plane crashed

A fire started at the scene and there are survivors

The passenger plane of AZAL Airlines, which was on the route Baku - Grozny, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. After the crash the plane caught fire. Preliminary, the cause of the fall of the airplane could be a collision with a flock of birds. After the crash, a criminal case was opened. AZAL suspended flights from Baku to Grozny and Makhachkala until the investigation is completed. Later the company decided to suspend flights to Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara and Mineralnye Vody from December 28.

According to the list of AZAL, 62 passengers and five crew members were on board, 38 people died. In addition, seven Russians died in the crash , while nine survived, they were taken to hospitals. Later, a special airplane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry took them to Moscow.

Izvestia correspondent Ivan Litomin visited the crash site on December 27 and said that the wreckage of the aircraft was scattered at a distance of about 200 meters. The tail section of the airplane lies upside down. A door was opened in it, from which the survivors were getting out by jumping from the height. First aid was rendered to them by employees of the substation, which is located about a kilometer from the scene of the accident.

On the same day, representatives of Embraer, the manufacturer of the crashed airplane, arrived in Aktau from Brazil. In the coming days, employees of the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aviation Accidents (CENIPA) of Brazil are expected to arrive in Aktau, Gazeta.Ru reports.