Xi extends condolences over plane crash in Kazakhstan

President Xi Jinping sent messages of condolence on Thursday to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev over the casualties in the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane.

In the messages, Xi said he was shocked to learn about the tragedy, which killed 38 people. On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, Xi extended profound condolences and expressed sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, which was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday while attempting an emergency landing.

Kazakhstan's Ministry for Emergency Situations confirmed that 38 people died and 29 people from the tail of the plane survived the crash. There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and five crew members.

According to Kazakh media reports, the passengers included 37 citizens from Azerbaijan, 16 from Russia, six from Kazakhstan and three from Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese consulate general in Aktobe said that there were no Chinese nationals on board the plane.

Azerbaijan declared a national day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the tragic crash and sent a delegation to Kazakhstan to oversee the investigation.