An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane carrying 67 people crashed on Wednesday near Aktau in western Kazakhstan after veering off its planned route, officials reported. The Embraer 190 jet was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Chechnya, southern Russia.
Survivors and Emergency Response
Kazakh authorities confirmed that 28 passengers, including two children, survived the crash. Emergency responders transported the survivors to a nearby hospital, with five in intensive care.
The Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry stated that 150 personnel were deployed to the crash site, where they extinguished a fire caused by the impact.
Passenger Details
The plane carried 62 passengers and five crew members. According to Kazakhstan’s transport ministry, the passengers included:
- 37 from Azerbaijan
- 6 from Kazakhstan
- 3 from Kyrgyzstan
- 16 from Russia
Official Reactions
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev cut short his visit to Russia, where he was attending a summit, to oversee the response. His office announced, “The President ordered immediate measures to investigate the causes of the disaster.”
Azerbaijan’s First Lady, Mehriban Aliyeva, expressed her grief on Instagram, saying:
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this tragic crash. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and best wishes for the recovery of the injured.”
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov also shared his condolences on Telegram.
Flight Details and Investigation
The plane reportedly strayed from its normal flight path, crossing the Caspian Sea before circling the area where it eventually crashed. Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the jet made an emergency landing about three kilometers from Aktau.
Kazakhstan’s authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The country’s health ministry sent a special flight from Astana with doctors to assist in treating the injured.
