BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 26. Kazakhstan has decided against allowing Russian and Azerbaijani experts to participate in the forensic examination of the recent plane crash near Aktau, TurkicWorld reports.
Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, stated that while foreign experts can contribute to the overall investigation, the Criminal Procedure Code prohibits the involvement of Russia and Azerbaijan's law enforcement agencies in the criminal case.
"Foreign experts will have the opportunity to participate in investigations related to the air crash, but their role in the criminal investigation is not provided for under our legislation," Bozumbayev explained.
The tragic incident occurred on December 25, when an Embraer 190 passenger plane owned by AZAL, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed three kilometers from Aktau airport.
The plane carried 67 people, including 62 passengers and five crew members. The crash resulted in 27 hospitalizations, with the injured including 15 Azerbaijani citizens, 8 Russian citizens, and 3 Kyrgyz nationals. The identity of one individual remains unconfirmed.
Both pilots and a flight attendant lost their lives, while two other crew members survived.
December 26 was declared a national day of mourning in Azerbaijan to honor the victims.
The plane's "black box" has been recovered, and its analysis is underway in line with international aviation protocols. Investigators are working to determine the causes of the disaster, with final conclusions expected following comprehensive research and data analysis.
