Passenger plane en route to Russia from Azerbaijan crashes in Kazakhstan

Astana [Kazakhstan], December 25 (ANI): A passenger plane travelling from Azerbaijan to southern Russia with 67 people on board crashed near Aktau, a city in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, CNN reported, citing local officials.

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that emergency teams discovered the aircraft engulfed in flames upon reaching the crash site.

"Rescue units began extinguishing the fire. Currently, information about the victims is being clarified, and according to preliminary information, there are survivors," the ministry said, according to CNN.

In a preliminary report,Kazakhstan's transport ministry said that there were 62 passengers along with five crew members on board.

Russian news agency TASS reported that the plane flying from Baku, which crashed in Kazakhstan, was first diverted to Makhachkala and then to Aktau due to fog in Grozny.

"This was a routine flight initially scheduled to arrive in Grozny. However, due to fog, it was redirected to Makhachkala and then, apparently, to Aktau," Chechen capital's airport press service told TASS.

Azerbaijan Airlines in a post on X wrote, "The Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, flight numbered J2-8243 on the Baku-Grozny route, made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers near the city of Aktau.""Additional information regarding the incident will be provided to the public," the post added.

This is a developing story. Further details are awaited. (ANI)