President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolences to his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo, AZERTAC reports.

“I was deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties as a result of a passenger plane crash in your country,” President Aliyev said in his letter. “On the occasion of this tragedy, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Indonesia. May Allah rest the dead in peace!” 

A Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet en route to the city of Pangkalpinang (the capital of the Bangka Belitung province) crashed about 13 minutes after taking off from the Jakarta airport early on Monday. According to some data, 189 people were onboard the plane. Lion Air is Indonesia’s largest low-cost airline. 

News.Az