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Azerbaijani Airlines plane en route to Russia crashes in western Kazakhstan

by Kateryna Denisova December 25, 2024 11:03 AM 1 min read

A view of the crash site where an Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 67 people on board, traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia's Chechen Republic crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, on Dec. 25, 2024. (Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

A plane carrying 67 people from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia's Chechen Republic crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Dec. 25, Tengrinews media outlet reported.

According to Kazakhstan's Transport Ministry, the plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines had 37 Azerbaijani passengers, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz, along with five crew members on board.

At least 28 people are believed to have survived, the Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry said. The number of casualties has not been reported.

Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya) reported that, according to preliminary data, the plane collided with a flock of birds and the pilot decided to land at the Aktau airfield, after which the aircraft "hit the ground."

Search and rescue operations at the site are ongoing.

Author: Kateryna Denisova

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