Passenger Aircraft Crashes in Kazakhstan; Reports of Survivors
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Aktau (Kazakhstan), Dec 25 (NationPress) A commercial aircraft with more than 100 individuals aboard met with an accident near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, as per reports from the country's Emergencies Ministry.
As reported by local media outlet Kazpravda.kz, the incident resulted in a fire at the crash site.
"A total of 52 rescuers from the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry and 11 pieces of equipment have been deployed to the location. Upon their arrival, they found the aircraft completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters are currently battling to put out the fire. Preliminary information indicates that there are survivors," stated the Ministry.
Preliminary reports suggest that at least 105 passengers along with five crew members were aboard the flight. Although the precise toll is still uncertain, reports indicate that at least 25 survivors have been identified, with 22 individuals hospitalized.
Rescue efforts are currently in progress, and information regarding the victims is being verified.
The aircraft, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190, was on a flight from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya. It was diverted to Aktau due to heavy fog.
Data from online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 shows the plane flying over the Caspian Sea and approaching its destination in Chechnya. As it entered Russian airspace, the aircraft began circling near the airport and subsequently requested an emergency landing.
At 6:28 am local time, the plane crashed just a few kilometers from the airport.
According to FlightRadar24, the aircraft was subjected to intense GPS jamming, which caused it to transmit inaccurate ADS-B data.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Unverified videos circulating on social media depict the moment of the crash, showing the aircraft erupting into flames with thick black smoke rising into the sky.
An operational headquarters has been established at the Command Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and a hotline has been set up for inquiries.
Further updates regarding the incident are anticipated.
