Wed Dec 25 15:27:09 UTC 2024: ## Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash Kills 39 in Kazakhstan
**Aqtau, Kazakhstan** – A tragic plane crash in Kazakhstan has claimed the lives of 39 people. An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members from Baku to Grozny, Russia, crashed approximately three kilometers from Aqtau International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Thirty-two survivors were reported, with 22 hospitalized, including a child and teenager.
The plane, en route to Grozny, was rerouted to Aqtau due to fog. Initial reports suggest a possible bird strike may have caused a malfunction, leading to a failed attempt at regaining altitude and control before the plane went into a steep dive, bursting into flames upon impact. Video footage circulating on social media shows the plane’s erratic descent in the moments leading up to the crash.
The passengers were primarily from Azerbaijan (37), with additional passengers from Kazakhstan (6), Kyrgyzstan (3), and Russia (16). Kazakh emergency services extinguished the resulting fire and rescued survivors from the wreckage. The crash site revealed a devastating scene with scattered debris across a remote field.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev cut short a visit to Russia to return home following the tragedy, while First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva expressed deep sorrow. The Kazakh Transport Ministry and other authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
First Piper 