Azer President Rushes Home After Passenger Plane Crash

Cancellation of Attendance at CIS Summit Meeting

Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, hurriedly returned from Russia on the 25th (local time) after a domestic passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan.

Azerbaijani media AzerNews reported that President Aliyev, who was heading to Russia to attend an informal Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, heard the news of the accident while in Russian airspace and ordered a return. He was scheduled to attend the meeting where former Soviet state leaders gather annually before the New Year.

Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan Photo by AP Yonhap News

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said, "Unfortunately, President Aliyev had to leave Saint Petersburg," adding, "President Putin has already called him to express condolences over the Azerbaijan Airlines crash." He continued, "We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones in the tragedy and wish a full recovery to all the injured."

On the same day, in Aktau, western Kazakhstan, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane traveling from Baku to Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia, crashed. Azerbaijan Airlines stated that 62 passengers and 5 crew members were on board. The nationalities of the passengers were identified as 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz.

While reports indicate that at least 28 people survived, Azerbaijan Airlines stated based on initial information that the cause of the crash was a collision with a flock of birds.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.