Screenshot from video footage of the crash
A passenger plane crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, sparking a fire at the scene, the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) of Kazakhstan reported. According to preliminary data from the MES, 28 people survived the crash.
“Emergency response teams consisting of 52 personnel and 11 units of equipment have arrived at the crash site in Aktau. Upon arrival, the aircraft was found to be on fire. Rescue units began extinguishing the blaze. Information about the casualties is being clarified, but preliminary reports indicate there are survivors,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan confirmed that the plane belonged to Azerbaijan Airlines. The Embraer 190 aircraft was en route from Baku to Grozny.
The flight carried 67 passengers, including 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals.
Details of the Incident
Following the crash, the aircraft broke apart, with the tail section detaching and flipping over. According to RBK, survivors were found primarily in the tail section, as seen in photos and videos from the scene.
While the official cause of the crash remains unknown, the KazTAG news agency cited a source in the aviation industry who claimed that the pilots had requested an emergency landing in Aktau due to an engine failure and steering issues.
“When they requested a landing in Aktau, the entire control tower was on high alert. Something had happened on board. Most likely, a bird strike caused engine failure,” the source said.
Response and Investigation
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has ordered the creation of a state commission to investigate the crash, to be headed by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev. He also directed medical teams from Astana to be sent to Aktau to provide assistance to survivors. An official criminal investigation has been launched into the incident.
In a related development, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev cut short his visit to Russia in light of the crash. Aliyev was scheduled to attend an informal CIS summit in the Leningrad region on December 25 but decided to return to Azerbaijan.
Photo of the crash site by Azamat Sarsenbayev
Drone Operator Detained
In Aktau, local blogger Azamat Sarsenbayev, who captured aerial footage of the crash site using a drone, was detained by police.
“I’ve been detained and am on my way to the city police department,” Sarsenbayev wrote on Facebook (a Meta platform recognized as extremist and banned in Russia). “This is likely due to my drone footage of the crash site,” he added, noting that major international outlets, including BBC and Reuters, had used his images.
Sarsenbayev is a well-known videographer in Aktau, famous for his viral videos featuring flamingos.
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