ASTANA, December 26. /TASS/. Kazakhstan’s International Airport in Aktau received reports before the passenger plane’s crash that an onboard cylinder containing oxygen exploded and passengers started losing their consciousness, Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev said at a news briefing.
"At exactly 10:53 a.m. [local time] the flight director of ‘Rostov’ delivered additional information to the flight director of Aktau Tower saying that an oxygen cylinder exploded in the passenger compartment of the aircraft, people had been losing consciousness and I had ordered emergency recovery efforts upon the arrival of the board," he said.
"KazAeroNavigation’s flight director immediately notified all emergency services - fire brigades and medical personnel - about the arrival of the emergency-landing aircraft bound for Aktau Airport," he added.
Karabayev earlier announced that the Azerbaijan Airlines’ passenger plane had made two attempts to land at Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, where everything was ready, but communication with the aircraft was lost.
"The Aktau air traffic controller promptly performed all necessary measures for the aircraft’s landing. The crew made two attempts to land on the runway of the Aktau airfield. Chaotic changes in altitude and flight course were observed," he said.
The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25. The plane carried 67 people, including 62 passengers, mainly citizens of Azerbaijan, as well as nationals of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and five crew members.
According to the latest reports, 38 people, including seven Russians, were killed, while 29 others survived. A special flight sent by Russia’s Emergencies Ministry has transported nine Russian citizens, including a child, injured in the air crash, from Aktau.