ALMATY, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The final investigation report on an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane crash near the Kazakh city of Aktau could be finished by the end of this year, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said Thursday.
International experts from several countries are involved in the investigation. "Some of the equipment is still undergoing examination abroad, but it will be returned soon," said Bozumbayev, cited by the Kazinform News Agency. "We expect the complete report within several months, likely before this year's end."
He added that law enforcement agencies are also conducting a forensic explosives examination.
Bozumbayev emphasized the importance of avoiding politicization of the issue, saying the cause of the damage to the aircraft must be determined solely through technical and forensic assessments.
AZAL flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to Russia's Grozny, crashed near Aktau on Dec. 25, 2024, with 62 passengers and five crew members on board. Thirty-eight people were killed and 29 rescued. ■