Azerbaijan receives condolences over deadly helicopter crash

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijan has received condolences from different countries and international organizations over the deadly military helicopter crash in Khizi region on November 30.

A helicopter of the Azerbaijani State Border Service departed from the Sangachal airfield to participate in exercise and crashed while landing at the Garaheybat training center, as a result of which 14 were killed and two wounded.

Turkey

On November 30, Turkish National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar had a phone conversation with Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov and the State Border Service Head Elchin Guliyev.

Akar extended condolences to the families of the victims and the Azerbaijani people over the human losses as a result of the military helicopter crash and wished speedy recovery to those wounded in the incident.

Former Turkish Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker Binali Yildirim also shared condolences on his Twitter account over the crash in Azerbaijan.

“May the Almighty rest the souls of the Azerbaijani brothers who died in a military helicopter crash in Azerbaijan today. I wish their families patience and speedy recovery to the wounded,” Yildirim tweeted.

On his Twitter account, the technical director of the Turkish Baykar Makina Company and creator of “Bayraktar” UAVs, Selcuk Bayraktar,  shared "the grief of Azerbaijan" over the deadly helicopter crash.

Iran

Iran regretted the incident with a helicopter crash in Azerbaijan, in which 14 people got killed, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

“Iran expresses condolences to Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people in connection with this tragic event and shares the grief of the families of the victims,” he added.

Int'l agencies, other countries

The Organization of Turkic States, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Vladanka Andreeva, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Vladanka Andreeva, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko, Israeli ambassador George Deek, UK ambassador James Sharp, French ambassador Zacharie Gross, U.S. ambassador Earle Litzenberger conveyed their condolences to the families of the victims and wished quick recovery to those wounded in the tragedy.

The Russian and the Italian embassies were among those sharing condolences over the crash.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office reported that all possible versions of the crash are thoroughly checked.

An inspection of the scene was carried out with the participation of management of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Border Service, as well as forensic, technical, fire and medical experts. At the same time, the deciphering of the black box with the involvement of the specialists from the Defence Ministry is currently underway.

A criminal case has been initiated into the crash.