27 killed in Kazakh military plane crash

Reuters

The remains of a military transport plane that crashed near Shymkent on December 25, 2012 are seen in this still image from a video.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — A military transport plane crashed in southern Kazakhstan on Tuesday, killing all 27 people on board, including the country's acting border service chief.

The Russian-made An-72 crashed about 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET) about 12 miles from the city of Shymkent near the border with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan's Committee for National Security said in a statement.

"The plane has burned up. Only some of its fragments remain," the news agency RIA quoted the head of the regional emergencies department as saying.

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Without specifying further details, authorities said an investigation was opened into the crash. No cause was given, but southern Kazakhstan over recent weeks has been buffeted by winds, heavy snows and low temperatures, causing widespread flight delays.

An eyewitness said he heard a loud explosion and saw flames at the crash site, the station reported.

The plane was carrying a crew of seven as well as 20 servicemen.

Kazakhstan's acting border service chief, Turganbek Stambekov, was appointed in June, after a mass killing of 14 frontier troops in a remote Kazakh outpost near China the month before.

The Kazakh-Uzbek border stretches across 1,350 miles of Central Asian steppes and deserts.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Discuss this post

TogTinTooDeleted

Has to be Bush's, Obama's or the NRA's fault.

  • 4 votes
Reply#2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:15 PM EST

I think this time, it's your fault.

  • 6 votes
#2.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:38 PM EST

According the lamestream media, nothing is Obama's fault, you know what I just realized.... they are right...

inorder to be at fault, you have to do something... he has done NOTHING! ( things that make you go HMMMMM)

  • 3 votes
#2.2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:33 PM EST

Only got elected POTUS twice. What have you done?

  • 3 votes
#2.3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:22 PM EST

First time ignorance, second time stupidity. That's how he got elected.

  • 3 votes
#2.4 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:54 PM EST

@ gabriel;

So far the only thing i see that's stupid is you post. He won now get over it.

    #2.5 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:01 PM EST

    And your accomplishments besides ignorant and stupid statements?

      #2.6 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:34 PM EST

      @rufnek: your guy only won with a 51% popular vote margin. But I know you liberals consider that a massive, mandate-driven victory and suddenly in your emotion-driven minds, you are the permanent super majority. About the only thing more laughable from you liberals is when people like you said you "almost won" with 48% of the vote (to Bush's 51%) back in 2004 with Kerry.

      But we will all know just how much ultimately we all lost in another four years. Obviously the first four years of hype and blame and failure weren't enough. America truly deserves what it asks for.

      • 1 vote
      #2.7 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:22 PM EST

      Yeah, we got what we deserved with all those tea bag nutters that came in 2010. The first turd bunch got flushed in 2012. The rest of them will go down with the second flush in 2014.

      Kind of ironic that you're calling the DOW at 13000 a failure since you're candidate was all about business and the DOW at 13000 is an irrefutable indication of profitability and the future expectation of same by the collective business community.

      Try convincing people the sky is green. It would be easier.

        #2.8 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:06 AM EST

        Well I suppose until anyone has can validly claim they've taken on a political position that wasn't sexual... they can't really complain.

          #2.9 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:59 AM EST

          WTF does any of your political rantings (Left and Right) have to do with the story of a plane crash?

          Give it a rest . Idiots.

            #2.10 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:55 AM EST

            Because it's really all they can come up with. They really aren't intelligent enough to say anything else.

              #2.11 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:38 PM EST
              Reply

              In case someone asks about the mass killing at a border post:

              http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/kazakhstan/2097821.html

                Reply#3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:34 PM EST

                a note to self, Do not fly on Russian plane.

                • 2 votes
                Reply#4 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:48 PM EST

                So sad, Christmas Day, 27 lost souls.

                They need to ban jets, especially those that have a high capacity maga, I mean cabin. We need strictor JET CONTROL.

                • 4 votes
                Reply#5 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:17 PM EST

                We need to ban idiots who can't tell the difference between a device designed to transport people safely and a device designed to kill lots of people quickly. We need stricter IDIOT CONTROL.

                • 3 votes
                #5.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:49 PM EST

                I'll take my chances w/the ak47 over the Russian plane airhead

                  #5.2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:33 PM EST

                  airhammer

                  Seems like that Jet Killed alot of people.

                  • 1 vote
                  #5.3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:29 PM EST

                  Amen... to that.

                    #5.4 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:35 PM EST

                    airhammer....starting with YOU

                    • 1 vote
                    #5.5 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:00 PM EST

                    You NRA nutters are a bunch of pussies. Where's your fight for my right to own a fully automatic weapon? The second amendment demands that right shall not be abridged.

                      #5.6 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:20 PM EST

                      Hey dickweed.I know of a few cops in manitowoc county wisconsin that would shoot and bury you if we could not have guns.

                        #5.7 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:14 PM EST

                        Actually, people in Russia or ex-soviet union countries, celebrate Christmas January 6th.

                          #5.8 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:56 PM EST

                          Hey Ithinkusuck. I know of a few psychiatrists who would certify you crazy and have you committed to a mental institution for confusing assault style semi auto weapons with hunting rifles and hand guns.

                            #5.9 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:12 PM EST
                            Reply

                            We need Russian plane control! Where are you idiots, I mean liberals to push for these laws? Where are you fools, I mean conservatives to say it's the liberal's fault?

                            • 2 votes
                            Reply#6 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:40 PM EST

                            never fly in a russian plane maintained by third world greese monkeys, they go down all the time

                              Reply#7 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:47 PM EST

                              Imandi bolsin

                              • 1 vote
                              #7.1 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:37 AM EST
                              Reply

                              Should limit the number to 10, 27 is just too much.

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#8 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:19 PM EST

                              When I flew from Xian China to Shanghai China I made it a point to find out the make of the airplane. It was a Boeing 737 which made me feel a little better but was still very nervous.

                                Reply#9 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:41 PM EST

                                "Ees not problem, little bit fog"

                                  Reply#10 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:14 PM EST

                                  Time to outlaw airplanes! the kill more enmass than guns!

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#11 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:30 PM EST

                                  Carrying 20 servicemen?? Uhhhhhhhh do we know what nationality? Why the pf**k would the writer not say.

                                    Reply#12 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:36 PM EST

                                    So tell me O-Abomination,,, do we now ban jets because they are killers too,,,F- N idiot with one agenda and he is the biggest gun seller in the world today, All going to Islam, our enemies as O-Abomination arms his rebel armies,,Go ban airplanes now you pig, Cigarettes kill more each year,,cars kill more each year, but guns are His only deterrent from concurring America like this pig wants too,,It is becoming O-Abomination each time this liar and theft opens his s h it hole

                                    • 3 votes
                                    Reply#13 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:43 PM EST

                                    Hell yeah, while we're at it we need to go after the stupid ban on automatic weapons. When was the last time anyone was killed with a machine gun? What good is a ban on automatic weapons anyway. Only criminals have them.

                                      #13.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:17 PM EST
                                      Reply

                                      More people are killed in plane crashes per year than by guns. Time to ban planes.

                                      • 4 votes
                                      Reply#14 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:56 PM EST

                                      Right on.Same with drunk driving time to ban cars and trucks.Maybe tractors also.

                                      • 2 votes
                                      #14.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:15 PM EST

                                      Time to ban automatic weapons and hand grenades, too. Oh wait, we already did that. What the hell for? It hasn't stopped nutters from spraying crowds in theaters and tossing grenades into classrooms.

                                        #14.2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:27 PM EST

                                        Lets banned all planes, Well exspect Air Force One! 1

                                          #14.3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:08 PM EST

                                          Lets replace Airforce one with one of these russian jobs. Maybe the POS potus would spend less time on vacation and more time at the whitehouse working on his failing economy.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #14.4 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:00 AM EST
                                          Reply

                                          OOPS. Another hard landing in bad weather. Perhaps it is time to ban planes as they are killing people.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          Reply#15 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:32 PM EST

                                          OOPS. Another mass killing with automatic weapons. Perhaps it is time to ban automatic weapons as they are killing people. Oh, wait, we already have a ban on automatic weapons so there have been no mass killings by them. I meant to say it is time to ban assault style semi auto weapons that are not suitable for hunting but are great for running up large body counts of children and movie goers.

                                            #15.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:16 PM EST
                                            Reply

                                            RIP Kazazh servicemen, may their families find peace.

                                            • 1 vote
                                            Reply#16 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:11 PM EST

                                            When will this senseless killing end? We must all petition the white house to ban ALL air transportation!!! I was told this jet had a high capacity magazine AND a bayonet lug. This can't go on! Help us Obammy

                                            • 1 vote
                                            Reply#17 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:28 PM EST

                                            When will these senseless analogies end? We must all petition the NRA to ban all idiotic comparisons!!! I was told that assault style weapons were the preferred choice of hunters and the .223 cartridge was the best choice for big game. This can't go on! Help us Congress from these NRA nutters.

                                              #17.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:07 PM EST
                                              Reply

                                              We need to ban all airplanes, NOW! People don't kill people, airplanes kill people! We need more laws restricting all airplanes to stay on the ground!!!! Gee, I hope I've covered everything.

                                              • 1 vote
                                              Reply#18 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:36 PM EST

                                              You forgot machine guns. Oh wait, we already did that in 1986 and we can see how that backfired. Only criminals have machine guns now and they've been piling up bodies with them ever since. Well, at least in the movies they have.

                                                #18.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:44 PM EST

                                                Let us not forget all the firearms bans in NYC and Washington DC. Cuz we all know that ban has worked. The nickname for DC "murder capital of the US" is just hype. Safest cities ever! And that's despite the estimated 700,000-3,000,000 illegal firearms in NYC alone. Good story airhammer.

                                                • 1 vote
                                                #18.2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:40 PM EST

                                                Let us not forget the assault weapons ban in Australia. Cuz we all know that has worked. No mass killings since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in which there were 35 were killed and 21 wounded by a nutter with an assault weapon.

                                                  #18.3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:58 PM EST

                                                  Hey airhammer, you forgot the current firearm bans in NYC and DC. They are named the safest cities in the world! The nickname "murder capital" DC holds is pure hype. And the statistics estimating 700,000 to 3,000,000 illegal firearms in NYC is a false stretch. Lets all dance to the misinformation~ I'll drop my security as soon as the president drops his. And that'll be never. As long as you breathe you have something that someone else wants, and some will kill for it. The argument to ban planes is completely legit in comparison (considering the current mood). How many people died on 9/11/11?

                                                    #18.4 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:59 PM EST

                                                    By removing the deterrent effect of guns, gun control causes dramatic increases in crimes committed with other weapons:

                                                    You are now six times more likely to be mugged in London than New York. Why? Because as common law appreciated, not only does an armed individual have the ability to protect himself or herself but criminals are less likely to attack them. They help keep the peace. A study found American burglars fear armed home-owners more than the police. As a result burglaries are much rarer and only 13% occur when people are at home, in contrast to 53% in England.

                                                    I mean if we are going to pull stats from other countries. Oh and about Austrailia~ what about in 2002 where a gunman killed two and wounded four at Monash University? Guess those two don't matter. Austrailia is a farcry from comparable to the US anyways. As is Britian. Lets keep focused on the US. We have borders. They do not.

                                                      #18.5 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:05 AM EST

                                                      The debate is about restricting assault style semi-auto weapons and high capacity magazines, not self defense handguns and hunting weapons, idiot.

                                                        #18.6 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:23 AM EST

                                                        The aircraft comparison is complete lunacy. Military aircraft ownership by civilians is highly restricted and it is illegal to render them lethal with any type of functioning weaponry. As a result there have been no air assaults from nutters and no hijacks since weapons were banned from all commercial flights.

                                                        On the other hand, some military style firearms are legal for anyone to own and can be bought at gun shows with no restrictions at all. There is no requirement for secure storage and we have seen what that type of unrestricted ownership and access leads to over and over again.

                                                          #18.7 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:36 AM EST
                                                          Reply

                                                          They were all sympathizers (Republicans) to be eliminated, because of their opposition to the status, of the ruling political party! Explosions, although despite weather conditions, are not caused by weather! {:-(}

                                                            Reply#19 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:34 PM EST

                                                            if planes were banned things like this wouldn't happen.

                                                              Reply#20 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 9:06 PM EST

                                                              If idiots were banned idiotic comparisons like yours wouldn't happen.

                                                                #20.1 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 9:51 PM EST

                                                                If idiots were banned, airhammer wouldn't be crapping all over the vine.

                                                                • 1 vote
                                                                #20.2 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:01 PM EST

                                                                The dung heap is from all you NRA nutters stinking up every story with your insane rants about how every event relates to someone coming to get your guns. Boo! Now go buy another case of ammo. They're coming to get you.

                                                                  #20.3 - Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:43 PM EST
                                                                  Reply

                                                                  26 in the school shooting, 27 dead in the plane crash. Looks like planes need banned first.

                                                                    Reply#21 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:28 AM EST

                                                                    Difference being the shooting was intentional and the plane crash was accidental. Looks like your logic needs banned first.

                                                                      #21.1 - Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:39 AM EST
                                                                      Reply
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