Putin apologizes for plane crash in Kazakhstan
Last Updated on December 29, 2024 6:24 am
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with President Ilham Aliyev about the crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines plane in Kazakhstan. At the same time, he apologized and expressed condolences for the tragic incident.
The Kremlin said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement said that Vladimir Putin apologized for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and expressed deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Putin noted that the Azerbaijani passenger plane made several attempts to land in the Chechen city of Grozny. This happened at a time when Russian air defense systems were responding to a Ukrainian drone attack.
The Russian president told Azerbaijani President Aliyev that the Russian Investigative Committee had opened a case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code, which includes violations of the safety and operating rules of air transport.
The statement added that a preliminary investigation into the crash was underway. It was being conducted by civilian and military experts.
Earlier on Wednesday, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku to Grozny crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, killing 38 of the 67 passengers and injuring 29.
Two representatives of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office are currently in Grozny and are working with officials from the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee.
At the crash site in Aktau, Kazakhstan, various services from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are conducting joint rescue operations and post-crash management.
Source: TASS and Mehr news agencies