Azerbaijani, Kazakh PMs Mark Aktau Plane Crash Anniversary

Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Ali Asadov and Olzhas Bektenov, have had a phone talk to mark the first anniversary of the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the Kazakh city of Aktau.

The two sides exchanged condolences over the tragedy involving the Baku-Grozny flight, The Caspian Post reports via Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers.

During the phone call, Asadov expressed gratitude to the government and people of brotherly Kazakhstan for their comprehensive support in the days following the disaster.

Both heads of government conveyed their sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to the peoples of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

The Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, crashed on December 25, 2024, about three kilometers from Aktau. According to preliminary investigation findings, the plane was struck by Russia’s Pantsir-S air defense system while approaching Grozny.

There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and five crew members. Among them were 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakh nationals, and three citizens of Kyrgyzstan. The crash claimed 38 lives, while 29 people survived. The victims included the aircraft’s captain Igor Kshnyakin, co-pilot Aleksandr Kalyaninov, and flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva.