BRUSSELS, Dec 28 (KUNA) -- The European Union called on Saturday for a swift and independent investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane in Kazakhstan.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said on social media platform X, "I call for a swift and independent international investigation," considering reports suggesting that Russian fire could have caused the crash as a "stark reminder" of the Malaysian Airlines "disaster" (MH 17), in which all passengers were killed after the plane was hit by a missile in a region controlled by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014.
Kallas expressed solidarity with the families and friends of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Kazakh authorities announced on Wednesday that an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 had crashed near Aktau in western Kazakhstan, with 67 people on board, including five crew members, of whom 32 survived. (end) arn.rk