Kazakhstan Minister Marat Karabaev said that the control of the aircraft crashed near the city of Aktau was lost before the entrance to the airspace of Kazakhstan.
At a briefing for the press, Karabaev presented a chronology of disaster with the Embraer 190 Azerbaijani Azal Azal Air, which performed the Baku-Grozes flight.
According to him, the first signal of the incident was received at 10:43 by Kazakhstani time from dispatchers of the Russian Center for Flight Management in Rostov. He noted that the crew decided to send the plane to Aktau due to weather conditions in Makhachkala and Baku.
“At 10:53, the Rostov dispatcher handed over to colleagues to Aktau information that an oxygen cylinder exploded in the passenger salon, passengers have a loss of consciousness, and medical care is required,” said Karabaev.
The minister said that the emergency services of Aktau Airport were immediately readiness. “At 11:02, the pilots got in touch with the air traffic controller, who provided all the necessary conditions for landing, including the inclusion of the lights of the runway for visual contact,” the minister emphasized.
According to the minister, the crew twice tried to land the plane, but there was a loss of height and instability of the course. At 11:28 a connection with the plane was lost, after which he collided with the ground, the minister said.
The prosecutor of the regional transport department Abylaibek Ordabaev said that the investigation is ongoing. Together with Azerbaijani experts, the testimony of survivors and witnesses are studied, and material evidence is collected, he said.
According to him, the crash is about 4 thousand square meters and was cordoned off to ensure safety. Both black boxes were found on the spot, ”the minister added.
Ordabaev also noted that of the 38 dead, the personalities of nine people are currently identified.
The crash of the Azerbaijani aircraft in Kazakhstan
AMBRAER 190 AMBRAER AZAL AZAL Azal Azal Airline, which performed the Baku-Grozny flight, crashed on December 25 near Aktau. There were 67 people on board, including five crew members and 62 passengers.
As a result of the disaster, 38 people died, 29 people survived.