Azerbaijani, Russian Leaders Hold Another Phone Talk

On December 29, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, made a phone call to Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

During the phone conversation, the heads of state continued their discussion on the issues related to the crash of the passenger plane owned by Azerbaijan Airlines Closed Joint Stock Company, The Caspian Post reports, citing AZERTAC.

On December 25, 2024, an Embraer 190 passenger aircraft, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), was en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, when it suffered a catastrophic failure. The flight, carrying 67 individuals, including 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz nationals, encountered severe technical and physical interference while in Russian airspace, leading to the loss of control. The crew, under extreme pressure, successfully diverted the aircraft toward Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Despite the dire circumstances, the swift and heroic actions of the flight crew, including the pilots and flight attendants, played a crucial role in mitigating further loss of life and minimizing the disaster’s impact. Tragically, 38 people lost their lives in the crash, but thanks to the quick response and professionalism of the crew, 29 survivors were rescued.