Update

28 people survive passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, Dec 25 (NEWS.AZ): Twenty-eight people have survived the Azerbaijani Airlines passenger plane crash near Aktau in Kazakhstan, the country’s Emergencies Ministry said.

Kazakh children's rights commissioner Dinara Zakiyeva confirmed that two children were injured.

Earlier, according to TASS, Twenty-eight people were survived the Azerbaijani Airlines passenger plane crash near Aktau in Kazakhstan, the country’s Emergencies Ministry said.

Kazakh children's rights commissioner Dinara Zakiyeva confirmed that two children were injured.

(TASS): Twenty-five people have survived the passenger plane crash near Aktau in Kazakhstan, the press service of the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry reported.

"There were 67 people on board the plane, including five crew members. The information about those injured is being clarified. According to preliminary data, there are 25 survivors. Twenty-two have been taken to a hospital," the statement said.

According to the Emergencies Ministry, 150 firefighters and 45 items of equipment are extinguishing the fire at the crash site. Lists of passengers are being compiled.

The press service of the Kazakh Transport Ministry reported that 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six Kazakh citizens, three Kyrgyz citizens and 16 Russian citizens were on board the plane. It headed from Baku to Grozny.

Reasons for Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash revealed

Meanwhile, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia has released an official statement regarding the crash of an AZAL plane in Aktau, News.az reports.

The statement reads:

“Today, at around 09:30 Moscow time, an Embraer 190 aircraft belonging to the Azerbaijani AZAL airline crashed while landing at the Aktau airport in Kazakhstan on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. The plane was flying from Baku to Grozny.

The initial version is that after a collision with a flock of birds, due to an emergency situation on board the plane, the captain of the transport plane decided to "go" to an alternative airfield. Aktau was chosen as the alternative airfield.

Search and rescue operations are being carried out by the operational services of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Rosaviatsia is in contact with AZAL, the aviation authorities of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.”

The passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines that crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau in photos: