BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 27. The Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders Mohamed Abdulsalam has expressed deep condolences to the leadership, government, and people of Azerbaijan in connection with the death of dozens of people and numerous injuries as a result of the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane operating a Baku-Grozny flight near Aktau.
Trend presents the secretary general's relevant statement as below:
“Our hearts are with our brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan in connection with the tragic crash of a passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines, which claimed dozens of lives and caused numerous injuries among those on board.
May the souls of the victims of this tragedy find eternal peace, and we wish their families and loved ones patience and consolation, and the wounded a speedy healing," the statement said.
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.
In the aftermath of the crash, 27 people were 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.
December 26 has been declared a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.
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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