Passenger Plane with 72 Onboard Crashes in Kazakhstan

The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190AR was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Chechnya when the incident occurred.

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations said that 28 people, including two minors aged 11 and 16, survived the crash. Twenty-two survivors have been hospitalized with injuries; its statement added. Emergency services continue to work at the scene, with more than 150 first responders deployed.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a bird strike caused the crash. According to Kazakhstan's Department of Health, an oxygen cylinder exploded on board after the bird strike, injuring 14 people, including two children, and causing passengers to lose consciousness. The explosion reportedly occurred after the aircraft's engine malfunctioned.

Video footage shared online shows the plane descending sharply before hitting the ground in a fireball. Tengrinews.kz reported that the aircraft sent an emergency signal before the crash. Initial reports also suggest thick fog in Grozny prevented the plane from landing there, prompting the diversion to Aktau.

The Kazakh Ministry of Transport has confirmed that Aktau Airport is operating normally. Among the passengers, it said, were 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals, Kommersant is reporting.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the crash, with technical malfunctions also being considered as a contributing factor.