Dozens are feared dead after a passenger plane carrying 67 people from Azerbaijan to southern Russia crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, local authorities said.
At least 28 people survived, authorities said, noting that at least two are children. All 28 have been taken to hospital, they said.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, flying from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya, made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau, the carrier said.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said its teams found the aircraft on fire upon arrival at the scene with rescue units extinguishing the fire on arrival.
Video of the crash showed the plane erratically circling the airfield before the crash. As it hit the ground, the aircraft burst into flames, with bloodied passengers emerging from the wreckage shortly after.
Russia’s aviation watchdog said in a statement that preliminary information suggested the pilot had decided to make an emergency landing after a bird strike.
There were 62 passengers and 5 crew members on board, Kazakhstan’s transport ministry said in a preliminary report. It said 37 of the passengers were citizens of Azerbaijan, six of Kazakhstan, three of Kyrgyzstan, and 16 of Russia, according to preliminary data.
“Additional information regarding the incident will be provided to the public,” the airline said on its Facebook page.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
