2021 Garaheybat Mil Mi-17 crash

Azerbaijani State Border Service

Company type	Government agency
Industry	Military, Law enforcement
Headquarters	Baku , Azerbaijan
Key people	Elchin Guliyev (Head)

Garaheybat Mil Mi-17 Helicopter Accident

The Garaheybat Mil Mi-17 helicopter accident (Azerbaijani: Qaraheybət helikopter qəzası / Qaraheybət vertolyot qəzası) took place on 30 November 2021 during military exercises conducted by the Azerbaijani State Border Service (SBS). The incident occurred within the Garaheybat training area, situated in the Khizi District. The aircraft involved was a Mil Mi-17 helicopter operated by the SBS. Tragically, the crash resulted in 14 fatalities and left two individuals injured. This event marks the deadliest aviation accident recorded in the history of Azerbaijan’s law enforcement agencies.

Following the crash, officials from both the SBS and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan promptly arrived at the location. An official inquiry was initiated, overseen by Elchin Mammadov, Deputy Chief of the Prosecutor General's Office. The investigation into the causes of the crash remains ongoing.

Condolences were conveyed by prominent national leaders including President Ilham Aliyev and Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, as well as by international dignitaries such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Numerous foreign diplomatic missions in Azerbaijan and global organizations also expressed their sympathies for those affected by this tragedy.

Background

The most fatal helicopter accident in Azerbaijan's history occurred on 20 November 1991 near Karakend in the Khojavend District, resulting in the loss of 22 lives, including high-ranking government officials. Additionally, on 24 July 2019, an Azerbaijani Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet conducting training exercises suddenly vanished from radar screens. The aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Rashad Atakishiyev, crashed into the Caspian Sea, and after an extensive search operation, his remains were recovered.

Crash

At approximately 10:40 local time on 30 November 2021, an Azerbaijani State Border Service Mil Mi-17 helicopter departed from the Sangachal airfield and subsequently crashed during training maneuvers at the Garaheybat exercise area within the Khizi District. The head of Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, Elchin Guliyev, confirmed that the pilot was highly experienced and had served in the First Karabakh War. He also noted that the helicopter was nearly new and had undergone recent maintenance. Guliyev further mentioned that the helicopter’s flight recorder was recovered and emphasized that no external interference contributed to the accident. Among the two survivors was Lieutenant Colonel Emil Jafarov, who reported no indications suggesting any imminent danger before the crash occurred.

Initial information indicates that the crash claimed the lives of two colonels, three majors, four captains, two lieutenants, and one civilian contractor. Meanwhile, a colonel and a captain sustained injuries in the incident.

Aftermath

Immediately following the event, officials from the State Border Service and the Prosecutor General's Office arrived at the location. The Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal investigation under Article 352.2 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to violations of flight or flight preparation rules resulting in the negligent deaths of two or more individuals, along with other relevant articles. This inquiry was placed under the direct supervision of the Prosecutor General. The investigative team, led by Deputy Chief of the Investigation Department Elchin Mammadov, was assigned to examine the helicopter crash. At that time, the precise cause of the accident remained unclear. The victims’ remains were transported to the Forensic Medical Expertise and Pathological Anatomy Association under the Ministry of Health in Baku; following examination, they were returned to their families.

Elchin Guliyev, head of Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, announced that those soldiers who perished would be honored with martyr status. He noted that President Ilham Aliyev directed efforts to clarify all circumstances surrounding the incident, ensure proper burial for the deceased, and provide necessary medical care for the injured. Guliyev also reported having spoken by phone with two servicemen wounded in the crash, confirming their condition was stable.

In line with common international practice, Azerbaijan initially withheld the identities of those killed until their next of kin had been informed. As time passed without further details and considering that the accident occurred shortly after meetings held in Ashgabat and Sochi, speculation and misinformation began circulating among Azerbaijani citizens. Political analyst Zardusht Alizadeh dismissed conspiracy theories related to the crash, emphasizing that no suspicious circumstances were involved. He further highlighted that such incidents are not unique to Azerbaijan but happen worldwide.

The President of Azerbaijan, together with numerous national and international dignitaries, expressed condolences and mourned those lost in the tragedy.