Embraer Passenger Plane Crashes Near Aktau, Kazakhstan; 27 Survivors Reported

GG News Bureau
Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25th Dec. An Embraer 190 passenger plane, flying from Azerbaijan to Russia, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. Authorities reported that 27 people survived the crash, while others sustained injuries.

Unverified footage of the crash site revealed flames erupting from the aircraft as it hit the ground, with thick black smoke rising from the wreckage. Injured passengers, some bloodied and bruised, were seen emerging from the fuselage, which had remained partially intact. Kazakh emergency services confirmed that the fire was extinguished, and survivors, including three children, were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The plane, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it was forced to make an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers from Aktau. Russian news outlets reported that the aircraft had been rerouted due to fog in Grozny.

Kazakhstan’s authorities are investigating multiple possible causes for the crash, including a technical malfunction. Meanwhile, Russia’s aviation watchdog indicated that preliminary findings suggest the pilot made an emergency landing following a bird strike.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was in Russia for a summit, was reported to be on his way back to Azerbaijan following the crash. Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, expressed condolences and noted that the survivors were in critical condition, with prayers being offered for their recovery.