Kazakhstan's Transport Minister Blames Oxygen Tank Explosion for Plane Crash

Kazakhstan's Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, has attributed the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane in Kazakhstan to an explosion of an oxygen tank, according to Interfax-Ukraine on December 26.

"The crew was unable to maintain a stable course and altitude. The Rostov dispatcher reported that after providing weather data for Makhachkala and Baku, the crew decided to fly to Aktau. At 10:53, the Rostov flight control reported additional information to the Aktau flight control that an oxygen tank had exploded in the passenger cabin of the aircraft, passengers were fainting, and requested resuscitation upon arrival," Karabayev said.

"Following this, the head of ‘KazAeroNavigation’  immediately notified all emergency services about the arrival of the emergency aircraft at Aktau airport," the minister added.

On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flight crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan. At least 38 people died in the plane crash.

The next day, sources within the Azerbaijani government confirmed that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian anti-aircraft missile.