Tragedy struck on Wednesday as a passenger plane carrying 67 people from Azerbaijan to southern Russia crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau. Local authorities have reported that dozens are feared dead in the incident.
According to authorities, at least 28 individuals have survived the crash, including two children. All survivors have been promptly taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
The ill-fated Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was en route from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya when it was forced to make an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers from Aktau.
Upon reaching the crash site, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations found the aircraft engulfed in flames. Rescue teams swiftly moved in to extinguish the fire and assist the survivors.
Video footage of the crash captured the plane circling erratically before plummeting to the ground and bursting into flames upon impact. Passengers, some bloodied, were seen emerging from the wreckage in the aftermath.
Russia’s aviation watchdog has indicated that preliminary findings suggest the pilot opted for an emergency landing following a bird strike.
The aircraft was carrying a total of 62 passengers and 5 crew members, as per Kazakhstan’s transport ministry. The passengers included citizens from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Azerbaijan Airlines has assured the public that further details regarding the incident will be shared as they become available.
In response to the crash, the Kazakh government has established a commission to investigate its cause. The commission has been tasked with conducting a thorough inquiry, providing support to the families of the victims, and collaborating with Azerbaijan on the investigation.
As the investigation unfolds, both countries are committed to uncovering the circumstances that led to this tragic event and ensuring that necessary measures are taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
