Iran’s president extends condolences to Azerbaijan’s Aliyev over plane crash
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has extended condolences to President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan following a tragic plane crash that killed at least 38 people who were on board.
“The news of the plane crash in the Republic of Azerbaijan was shocking,” President Pezeshkian said in a message to Aliyev on Wednesday.
“I offer my condolences to Your Excellency and the dear people of Azerbaijan, particularly the families and relatives of the victims, and I pray to God Almighty for mercy and forgiveness for the deceased and a speedy recovery for the injured.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also offered sympathy, extending condolences to the governments and people of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, particularly to the families of those affected.
The crash involved an Embraer passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia, which went down near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
The aircraft, carrying 67 passengers and five crew members, was later reported to have 29 survivors, according to Kazakh authorities.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 deviated from its scheduled route, eventually crashing on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea.
Russia's aviation watchdog indicated that the emergency might have been triggered by a bird strike.
Videos from the scene showed the plane descending rapidly before bursting into flames upon impact with the seashore, with thick black smoke rising into the sky.
Bloodied and injured passengers were seen emerging from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergencies reported that fire services had extinguished the blaze, and survivors, including two children, were being treated at a nearby hospital.
Azerbaijan Airlines confirmed that the Embraer 190 jet was en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, when it was forced to make an emergency landing around 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau.
Kazakh authorities announced that a government commission had been established to investigate the incident.
The commission's members were instructed to fly to the crash site and ensure that the families of the victims received the necessary support.
Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that 32 people, including two children, survived the crash and are currently hospitalized.
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