28 people have survived the passenger plane crash near Aktau in Kazakhstan, the country’s Emergencies Ministry reported
AMN / WEB DESK
Twenty-eight 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.
Passenger plane crashed with about 67 people on board. Authorities in Azerbaijan, where the flight originated, say there were at least 28 survivors.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 caught fire as it attempted to make an emergency landing near the Kazakh city of Aktau. The plane was en route to Grozny in Russia, but it was diverted due to fog, the airline told the BBC.
Footage shows the aircraft heading towards the ground at high speed with its landing gear down before bursting into flames as it landed. Reports from Russian media say the aircraft collided with a flock of birds before crashing, but this has not yet been confirmed.
The airline said 62 passengers and 5 crew members were on board, but other reports put the total at 72. The reported number of survivors ranges from 28 to 32. Those on board were mostly Azerbaijani nationals, but there were also some passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have launched investigations into the accident.