Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan, over 30 feared dead

Moscow: An Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed in the Kazakh city of Aktau today, with more than 30 fatalities reported. Officials confirmed that the aircraft, carrying 67 people, included five crew members. At least 32 passengers survived the crash, according to authorities.

Kazakhstan’s emergency ministry revealed in a statement on Telegram that 29 individuals were hospitalized following the incident. Russian Interfax news agency, citing health officials, reported that four bodies had been recovered initially. Emergency responders later confirmed that both pilots were among the deceased.

Conflicting casualty figures emerged throughout the day. Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general’s office eventually stated that at least 32 people had died, though the count was described as preliminary.

The aircraft had departed from Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, en route to the Russian city of Grozny. Azerbaijan Airlines reported that among the passengers were 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals.

A spokesperson for Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency suggested that the crash occurred after a bird strike prompted the pilot to divert the plane to Aktau for an emergency landing. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.