At least 38 killed after Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan

A plane crash near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday has resulted in the deaths of 38 people, according to Kazakh officials.

MOSCOW: Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev confirmed the toll during a meeting with Azerbaijani officials, while the Russian news agency Interfax reported that 32 of the 67 people onboard the Embraer 190 survived.

The flight, which was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, encountered an emergency after a bird strike forced the pilots to divert to Aktau for an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed while attempting to land just 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) from the airport. The plane, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was carrying 42 Azerbaijani nationals, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyzstani citizens.

Preliminary reports indicated that the flight crew included five people. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry stated that 29 survivors, including two children, were hospitalised after the crash, while medical workers confirmed the recovery of four bodies. Both pilots were among the victims, as reported by emergency workers at the scene.