BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – His Majesty King Mswati III is saddened by the tragedy that befell the people of Azerbaijan when their airplane fell on Christmas Day, killing 38 people on board.
Also saddened by this catastrophe is Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, Eswatini Government, and the entire Eswatini nation. According to Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, the plane fell in Kazakhstan, which 3 499.5 kilometres north east of Azerbaijan. Both countries are in West Asia.
The Kingdom of Eswatini is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of 38 people aboard Azerbaijan Arlines after their plane crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, 25 December 2024.
“On behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Government and the People of the Kingdom of Eswatini, I wish to express our deepest condolences on the loss of lives following this fatal accident,” Dlamini said.
The premier said the thoughts and prayers of Emaswati were with the families of those who have passed on, as well as the Governments and the People of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan during this difficult time.
According to Africa News (africanews.com), the Embraer 190 aircraft departed Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday morning, heading to Grozny in Russia’s North Caucasus region. However, it diverted over the Caspian Sea and attempted an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Tragically, the plane crashed approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Aktau, killing 38 passengers and injuring all 29 survivors.
The exact circumstances of the crash remain unclear, but preliminary data and expert analysis point to the involvement of external factors. However, Africa News further reported that the crashed sparked allegations of a missile strike, raising questions about the potential involvement of Russian air defence systems.
It is worth noting though that investigations on the cause of the plane crash are still ongoing. Affected parties have called upon all those concerned to give the investigations a chance and stop rushing to conclusions while the investigation are still underway.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev urged against premature conclusions, attributing the crash to adverse weather conditions that forced the plane off course. Meanwhile, Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, cited a bird strike as the likely cause of the emergency.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the missile allegations as speculation, stating: “It would be wrong to make hypotheses before investigators make their verdict.”
Kazakhstan’s Parliamentary Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev echoed this sentiment, urging caution and describing the allegations of a missile strike as unfounded.