In a tragic incident, a passenger plane en route to Russia carrying 72 people crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau area on Wednesday, the country’s Emergencies Ministry confirmed. Initial reports indicate that several people are feared dead, though details regarding casualties remain under verification.
The Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft was traveling from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region. However, adverse weather conditions, particularly dense fog in Grozny, forced the plane to be rerouted. According to Kazakh media, the plane circled the airport multiple times before the crash occurred.
Emergency response teams were promptly deployed to the crash site. The Emergencies Ministry reported that 52 rescuers and 11 units of equipment were involved in the rescue operation. Upon their arrival, the aircraft was found engulfed in flames, necessitating immediate firefighting efforts.
“Rescue teams began extinguishing the blaze upon arrival,” the ministry stated. “Details about casualties are still being confirmed, but initial reports suggest there are survivors.”
To coordinate the response and gather further information, a national operations center has been established at the Emergencies Ministry’s headquarters. The cause of the crash and additional details about the passengers and crew onboard are under investigation.
