BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 27. Türkiye stands by Azerbaijan in these difficult days, Turkish Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler wrote in the condolence book at the Azerbaijani Embassy in connection with the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan, Trend reports.
Guler, accompanied by a delegation from the Turkish Armed Forces, visited the embassy in Ankara and expressed condolences regarding the crash to Azerbaijani Ambassador Rashad Mammadov.
The minister wished eternal rest for the souls of the deceased and a speedy recovery for the injured.
"Azerbaijan and Türkiye have always shared both joy and sorrow, and, following the motto 'One nation, two states,' we have supported each other in difficult times. Our brotherly Azerbaijani people experience deep pain, and we share in their grief. Guler also expressed in the condolence book that Türkiye stands by its brothers and sisters during this difficult time," the minister wrote in the condolence book.
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 five crew members.
The crash left 27 people hospitalized. Among them, 15 are citizens of Azerbaijan, eight are from Russia, and three 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, two in the neurosurgery ward, and one 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.
Azerbaijan has declared December 26 a day of mourning.
The black box of the plane has already been found, and procedures for its analysis are being carried out per the international aviation conventions. An investigation into the causes of the disaster is currently underway. Final conclusions will be made after completion of all necessary research and data analysis.
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