Astana/Baku, Dec 25 (EFE).- More than 30 people are feared dead after an Embraer 190 aircraft, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan.
The plane, which had 69 people on board, including five crew members, was en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia.
According to various sources, 32 survivors were rescued, while the death toll is still unconfirmed.
Three fatalities died at the crash site, and a fourth succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
Kanan Zeinalov, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office, told reporters that “32 people survived the accident” and that both Azerbaijani and Kazakhstani experts are working together to determine the cause of the crash.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that it was too early to speculate on the cause, although several theories have emerged.
Initial reports suggest the aircraft may have collided with a flock of birds, while other sources, including survivors, indicate the crash may have been caused by an explosion, potentially an oxygen tank failure.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the passengers onboard the aircraft included 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz nationals.
The plane had originally been rerouted due to poor weather conditions and was attempting an emergency landing in Aktau.
The crew had sent a distress signal at 08.35 a.m. local time, reporting a control system failure. Despite attempts to land, the plane crashed at 09.28 a.m., just minutes after requesting an emergency landing.
Telegram video footage shows passengers praying as oxygen masks are deployed during the emergency. One of the survivors, identified by the SHOT channel as Subjonkul, was seated at the back of the aircraft.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the passengers onboard the aircraft included 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz nationals.
The plane had originally been rerouted due to poor weather conditions and was attempting an emergency landing in Aktau.
The crew had sent a distress signal at 08.35 a.m. local time, reporting a control system failure. Despite attempts to land, the plane crashed at 09.28 a.m., just minutes after requesting an emergency landing.
Telegram video footage shows passengers praying as oxygen masks are deployed during the emergency. One of the survivors, identified by the SHOT channel as Subjonkul, was seated at the back of the aircraft.
He reported that all the passengers around him managed to escape the disaster.
The 48-year-old man recalled that the plane initially attempted to land in Grozny, but poor weather conditions forced a change in course.
He described hearing an explosion before the plane suddenly veered off course. “The pilot saved us with his maneuver. If it hadn’t been for him, we would all be dead,” Subjonkul said.
As the plane approached Aktau, sources from various Telegram channels reported that the crew managed to steer the aircraft away from residential blocks located less than 2 kilometers from the local airport.
The plane, manufactured in Brazil 11 years ago, was operating regular international flights, including routes to Russia, Turkey, Iran, and other destinations. This was the second time in recent days that the plane had been unable to reach Grozny due to adverse conditions.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have both expressed condolences, with Aliyev declaring December 26 as a national day of mourning.
Aliyev, flying in Russian airspace to attend an informal summit of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, canceled his plans and ordered the pilot of his plane to turn around and head to Baku.
Other leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, also expressed their condolences for the plane disaster. EFE
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