25 Survivors Reported in Plane Crash in Kazakhstan

AFP/APP

Astana: A passenger jet operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, carrying 67 people, crashed on Wednesday near Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan.

The Embraer 190 aircraft was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it made an emergency landing approximately three kilometers from Aktau, according to the Kazakh transport ministry. The crash resulted in a fire at the site, and emergency personnel were promptly dispatched to extinguish it.

The Kazakh emergency situations ministry reported that 25 people survived the crash, with 22 of them hospitalized. Earlier updates from health officials mentioned that 14 survivors had been admitted to medical facilities.

Preliminary information indicated there were 62 passengers and five crew members onboard. Efforts to confirm the total number of casualties and assess the condition of survivors are ongoing.

Azerbaijan Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, confirmed the emergency landing and expressed its concern for the passengers and crew. Authorities are investigating the incident, and further updates are expected as the situation develops.