Kazakhstan – A tragic plane crash near the Kazakh city of Aktau has claimed the lives of dozens, with conflicting reports emerging about the exact number of casualties and survivors.
The crash involved Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, which was carrying around 70 people, including passengers and crew.
Emergency Landing Ends in Tragedy
The Embraer 190 aircraft, which originated from Baku, Azerbaijan, was en route to Grozny, Russia. Due to heavy fog, the flight was diverted to Aktau, Kazakhstan. During its emergency landing attempt, the plane crashed approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from Aktau, bursting into flames upon impact.
Authorities in Azerbaijan confirmed there were at least 30 survivors. However, discrepancies remain in the reported figures, with the airline stating 62 passengers and five crew members were on board, while other sources suggest the total number was 72. The number of survivors is believed to range between 28 and 32.
Potential Cause Under Investigation
Russian media reported that the plane may have collided with a flock of birds before the crash, though this has not been confirmed. Footage captured the aircraft descending rapidly with its landing gear deployed, culminating in the fiery crash that caused the plane to split apart.
Unverified videos showed survivors crawling out of the wreckage, some visibly injured. Most passengers were Azerbaijani nationals, along with others from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have both launched investigations into the accident. Aircraft manufacturer Embraer stated it was prepared to assist the relevant authorities.
Flight J2-8243 departed from Baku at 03:55 GMT and crashed around 06:28 GMT, according to data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24.
Azerbaijan Airlines has yet to release further details, while authorities work to clarify the number of casualties and survivors.
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