22 April 2015 | 20:18

16 dead in road collision in Kazakhstan

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16 people were killed in a road accident in the south of Kazakhstan. All of them were citizens of Kyrgyzstan. There were three children among them.

The tragedy occurred in the morning on Sunday, April 19, in Moiynkum District of Zhambyl Oblast on the 487 km of Almaty-Yekaterinburg highway, Tengrinews reports citing the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan.

There was a road collision between a truck "Gazelle-2705" (registration number 147 FRO, owned by K.A. Adanov, born in 1976, a resident of Almaty Oblast) and a minibus Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The latter was carrying 18 passengers, presumably all of them were citizens of Kyrgyzstan. The minibus was driving from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to North Kazakhstan Oblast, Kazakhstan.

At the site. ©mes.kg

As a result of the collision, the vehicles caught fire. The rescue team that arrived on the scene discovered 14 burnt bodies. The driver of the "Gazelle" and 13 passengers of the minibus died on the spot, including the children. Two other passengers died in a hospital.

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According to the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan, seven of the victims were identified. They are all Kyrgyz nationals: Abbas Orinbayev (born in 2008), Abroriddin Orinbayev (2006), Khadichakhon Orinbayeva (2003), Yerlan Aryskulov (1992), Gavkharay Orinbayeva (1981), Mavzhuda Orinbayeva (1953), Abdisamat Yerashiyev (1974). The identities of other victims are being established.

Five surviving passengers were taken to a hospital in Priozersk with various injuries. They are: Temirlan Toktarbayev (1971), Maksatbek Saykoyev (1985), Tayirbek Seitbekov (1971), Rustambek Daureshov and Samat Meyrambek (1993). Yerlan Riskulov died in the hospital.

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"Our hospital received six people. Two of them were transferred to the Russian military hospital - they are in critical condition, two others had surgeries in Balkhash hospital. The other two were in intensive care, both died. Thus, the total number of victims - 16 people," said the chief doctor of the Priozersk hospital in Karaganda Oblast Nurlan Shagirov.

Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations prepared vehicles for transportation of bodies back to Kyrgyzstan. "But the bodies will be transported only after all the investigative activities carried out at the emergency site by Kazakhstani law enforcement agencies are completed," the Ministry added.

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The center of Crisis Management at the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan also established cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Kazakhstan and operational services of the Department of Emergency Situations of Karaganda and Zhambyl Oblasts to help identify the bodies. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan is also working to establish the identity of the victims.

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The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan opened a hotline: + 996-770-88-00-19. Relatives and friends of the victims can obtain information about the accident in Zhambyl Oblast by calling this number.

As reported by the Department of Internal Affairs of Zhambyl Oblast, pre-trial investigation is being carried out under the article "Violation of traffic rules and operation of vehicles by persons driving vehicles, resulting in the death of two or more persons."

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From the pictures, one can already see that the Sprinter is not intended to carrying passengers. Passenger vehicles must have windows, which can provide emergency exit. However, the vehicle which was carrying the citizens of Kyrgyzstan has an apparent absence of such.

Reporting by Roza Yessenkulova, writing by Dinara Urazova

Zhambyl Oblast Central Asia CIS emergency situations Kazakh Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan news road vehicle accident