Plane with 67 people crashes in Kazakhstan, dozens feared dead, officials say

Photo: Reuters

A plane carrying 67 people crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, with dozens feared dead. The plane was on its way from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it made an emergency landing near Aktau. According to local authorities, at least 28 people survived the crash, including two children. These survivors were taken to the hospital for treatment.

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The plane, Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, was flying to Grozny in the Chechen region of Russia when it encountered trouble. The aircraft made an emergency landing about 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) away from Aktau. When rescue teams arrived, they found the plane on fire and worked to put out the flames.

Video footage of the incident shows the plane flying erratically around the airfield before it crashed. The crash caused the plane to catch fire, and bloodied passengers were seen emerging from the wreckage shortly after the crash.

Russian aviation officials said they believe the crash may have been caused by a bird strike, with the pilot trying to make an emergency landing after hitting a bird. The plane was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members, according to Kazakhstan's transport ministry. Of the passengers, 37 were from Azerbaijan, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan, and 16 from Russia.

Azerbaijan Airlines has promised to provide more information about the incident to the public. The Kazakh government has set up a special commission to investigate what caused the crash. The commission has been told to immediately go to the crash site, look into the cause, and help the families of those who were killed or injured. Kazakhstan will also work closely with Azerbaijan to solve the case.