Local state of emergency declared near AZAL plane crash site

Search and rescue operation is underway with the involvement of the canine service of the Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry at the crash site of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane near Aktau, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

According to Azerbaijan Airlines, there were 67 persons, including five crew members, onboard. Among the passengers were six residents of Kazakhstan, 42 residents of Azerbaijan, three residents of Kyrgyzstan, 16 residents of Russia, the nationality of one more person is being identified. All crew members were Azerbaijani nationals, reads a statement of the Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry.

As a result of the crash, 29 persons were hospitalized, of whom three were children. Those include 15 Azerbaijanis, nine Russians, two Kyrgyzstanis, the citizenship of three more is being identified.

The Ministry’s hotline has received 571 calls so far.

By order of Tupkaraganskiy district’s authority, a local state of emergency has been declared. 482 personnel, 97 vehicles, two helicopters and four canine crews are engaged in elimination of the aftermath of the accident. Search and rescue work is underway with the involvement of the canine service of the Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry, added the ministry.

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was operating a flight en route Baku-Grozny, crashed Wednesday morning near Kazakhstan's Aktau city. 

The government commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev began its work at the crash site of the plane.

As was reported, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the current situation related to the passenger plane crash near Aktau.

Upon Kazakh President Tokayev’s instruction, an ambulance aircraft left Astana headed to Aktau.

It was reported that President Tokayev tasked to set up a state commission in connection with the plane crash.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev cut short his trip to Russia due to the plane crash.

Earlier, Kazinform News Agency presented the preliminary list of passengers onboard the crashed plane.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his condolences to Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev following the incident.

It was previously informed Kazakh Emergency Situations Minister Chingis Arinov arrived in Aktau.