A passenger plane traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, authorities confirmed. Of the 67 people aboard, 32 survived the incident, while at least 30 others are feared dead, though the final death toll has not yet been officially confirmed. The aircraft, an Embraer 190 operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was originally en route from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region. However, due to fog in Grozny, the flight was rerouted.
Video footage shared on social media showed the plane descending at a low altitude before crashing and erupting in flames. The plane was identified as flight J2-8243. In the unverified footage, thick black smoke could be seen rising from the wreckage, and injured passengers were filmed escaping from a section of the fuselage that had remained relatively intact.
Kazakh authorities have initiated an investigation into the cause of the crash. A government commission has been dispatched to the scene to oversee the inquiry and ensure that the families of the victims receive necessary support.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who had been in Russia attending a summit, was reported to be returning home on the same day. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov expressed his condolences and mentioned that some survivors were in critical condition. He stated that prayers would be offered for their swift recovery.
