Bastrykin held a meeting in Chechnya on the Azerbaijan Airlines airliner crash

Chairman of the Investigative Committee (IC) of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin held an operational meeting in Grozny to investigate the circumstances of the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) airliner near Aktau in Kazakhstan. This was reported by the press service of the IC in its Telegram-channel on December 28.

"An investigative and operational group has been created, which includes investigators, criminalists and experts with experience in investigating aviation accidents. Within the framework of the criminal case, all necessary measures are being taken to establish the circumstances of the incident and the causes of the airplane crash," the agency said.

A criminal case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Violation of the rules of safety and operation of air transport") was initiated and transferred for investigation to the Main Investigative Directorate (MID) of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

Tragedy in Aktau: Baku-Grozny passenger plane crashed

A fire started at the scene and there are survivors

Earlier, December 28, it became known that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told about the creation of an international group of experts to investigate the accident near Aktau. At the moment, the group of experts has begun work.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Aliyev discussed issues related to the crash of the airliner. They noted that the plane, which was flying on schedule, tried several times to land at Grozny airport. At that time Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were attacked by Ukrainian drones, and Russian air defense repelled these attacks.

A passenger plane of AZAL Airlines on the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. The Ministry of Transport of Azerbaijan named the preliminary cause of the crash as outside interference. After the incident, a criminal case was initiated. According to the airline's list, 62 passengers and five crew members were on board. A total of 38 bodies were found at the crash site.

Seven Russians died in the airplane crash, nine Russian citizens survived. Later, a special airplane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry delivered them to Moscow. Of the crew, three people survived.

After the crash, 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.

On December 27, representatives of the Embraer manufacturer arrived in Aktau to take part in the investigation of the crash of their company's plane. Employees of Brazil's Center for the Investigation and Prevention of Aviation Accidents (CENIPA) are also expected to arrive in the coming days.