Passenger Jet Crashes Near Airport, Many Feared Dead

A passenger jet operated by Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. Authorities report that 28 people, including two children, survived and were rushed to the hospital with various injuries.

The Embraer-190 aircraft was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, but diverted to Aktau due to foggy conditions in Grozny. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Ministry stated that the plane attempted an emergency landing after hitting a flock of birds, a claim supported by Russia’s state aviation authority. The crash site was located approximately 1.8 miles from Aktau.

Survivors include 37 Azerbaijani nationals, 16 Russians, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz nationals. Initial reports from Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Ministry indicated 25 survivors, but the figure was later updated to 28 as rescue efforts continued.

A video shared by Russian news agency RIA Novosti showed injured passengers being pulled from the wreckage, highlighting the severity of the crash. Authorities in Kazakhstan have launched an investigation into the incident.