More than 30 People Killed in Plane Crash in Kazakhstan

A passenger plane from Azerbaijan, carrying 67 people, crashed on Wednesday near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. At least 32 people survived, according to officials. Over 30 people may have lost their lives, according to the available information so far.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, in a statement via Telegram, reported that the plane’s crew consisted of five members. The ministry told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that the survivors, including two children, were transferred to the hospital, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier on Wednesday, the ministry had said, “According to preliminary information, there are 25 survivors, including 22 people who were taken to the hospital,” explaining that 150 rescue workers were sent to the crash site. Medical authorities had earlier reported that 14 people had survived.

Earlier on Wednesday, authorities announced that a passenger plane from Azerbaijan Airlines had crashed in western Kazakhstan while on a flight from Baku to Grozny, the capital of the Russian Republic of Chechnya.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that the plane fell near Aktau, in the western part of the country, according to Agence France-Presse. Azerbaijan Airlines indicated that the aircraft, an Embraer 190, made an emergency landing.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed his condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev over the victims of the plane crash on Wednesday.

Peskov added, “Unfortunately, Azerbaijani President Aliyev had to leave St. Petersburg (where he was attending a summit), and President Putin called him and offered his condolences regarding the Azerbaijani plane crash in Aktau.” He continued, “We express our deep sympathy to those who lost relatives and friends in the crash, and wish a speedy recovery to those who survived.”

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport clarified that among the passengers were 37 people from Azerbaijan, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan, and 16 from Russia.

The Azerbaijani Prosecutor’s Office stated in a statement, “According to the available information, 32 people survived the crash.” It added, “We cannot disclose any results of the investigation at this time. All potential scenarios are being verified, and necessary analyses are being conducted.” It also noted that an investigative team led by the deputy prosecutor general of Azerbaijan had been sent to Kazakhstan and was working at the crash site.