A passenger plane carrying 67 people has crashed in Kazakhstan, leaving dozens dead, according to local officials. The country’s emergency ministry reported that 25 individuals survived the incident.
The aircraft, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, caught fire as it descended near the city of Aktau. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
Flight J2-8243 was traveling from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia but was reportedly diverted due to heavy fog.
Verified video footage from Reuters shows the plane descending rapidly with its landing gear deployed. Moments later, a massive fireball engulfs the site as the aircraft seemingly attempts to land.
The Embraer 190 aircraft had 62 passengers and five crew members on board. Most passengers were Azerbaijani nationals, with others hailing from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, according to the transport ministry.
Authorities confirmed that Aktau airport remains operational despite the tragedy.
