BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 26. US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller has expressed condolences following a tragic AZAL plane crash in Kazakhstan's Aktau, TurkicWorld reports.
"We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the Azerbaijan Airlines accident in Kazakhstan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We stand ready to assist authorities in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan," Miller wrote on his page on X.
The tragedy occurred on December 25, when an Embraer 190 plane operated by AZAL, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed just 3 kilometers from Aktau Airport.
The Embraer 190 was carrying 67 people, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members.
In the aftermath of the crash, 27 people were hospitalized. Among them, 15 are citizens of Azerbaijan, 8 are from Russia, and 3 are from Kyrgyzstan. The identity of one individual remains unknown.
Of those hospitalized, 11 are being treated in intensive care, 13 in the trauma ward, 2 in the neurosurgery ward, and 1 in the surgical ward. They are under the care of experienced doctors from Kazakhstan, as well as specialists sent from Azerbaijan and Russia. All patients have received prompt and specialized medical and psychological support.
The crash claimed the lives of both pilots and a flight attendant. Two other crew members survived.
December 26 has been declared a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.
