Kazakhstan Plane Crash: Tragedy Strikes Azerbaijan Airlines Flight
38 Dead, 29 Injured as Aircraft Crashes Near Aktau
Aktau, Kazakhstan — An Azerbaijani airliner carrying 67 passengers and crew members crashed near the city of Aktau on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least 38 people, Kazakh authorities reported.
In a large-scale rescue operation, 29 survivors, including two children, were pulled from the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Kanat Bozumbayev, stated that 11 of the survivors remain in critical condition.
The flight, en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Chechnya, made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau. According to the airline, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Footage from the crash site shows the harrowing aftermath as survivors, some visibly dazed and injured, emerged from the charred remains of the aircraft. All survivors have been transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev confirmed that none of the survivors are Kazakh nationals. The crash has sparked a thorough investigation as authorities work to uncover what led to the catastrophic emergency landing.
