Azerbaijan Says Investigation into AZAL Plane Crash Near Aktau Underway

A criminal case initiated over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane near Aktau on December 25, 2024 is currently underway, Nemat Avazov, Head of the Investigation Department of the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office, said during a briefing on Wednesday.

He noted that parallel investigations are being conducted by relevant law enforcement agencies in both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in connection with the incident, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.

Avazov stressed that approximately 100 expert examinations have been ordered in connection with the plane crash, with the majority already completed. "In recent days, a portion of the expert group was sent to the Republic of Kazakhstan, where extensive and comprehensive discussions were held with relevant authorities," he said.

"The process of collecting and finalizing the expert examination results continues within the framework of cooperation between the relevant institutions of both countries. It is expected that the results will be obtained and presented to the public in the near future," the official added.

To note, the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was flying from Baku to Grozn,y crashed near Aktau, Mangistau region, on December 25 last year. The plane was carrying 67 people,e including 5 crew members. 38 people died and 29 survived as a result of the tragedy. Among the victims were six nationals of Kazakhstan.