Azerbaijani Airliner Crashes Near Aktau, Kazakhstan: 32 Survivors Confirmed, Over 30 Feared Dead
Aktau, Kazakhstan — An Azerbaijani airliner carrying 67 passengers and crew crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, leaving at least 32 survivors, officials reported. The incident has claimed the lives of over 30 people, including the flight’s two pilots.
The Embraer 190 aircraft was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when a bird strike prompted the pilots to declare an emergency and attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft came down approximately three kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau Airport.
Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry confirmed that the flight included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals. Among the survivors were two children, but many of those rescued are in critical condition, according to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. A total of 29 survivors have been hospitalized.
Eyewitnesses reported harrowing scenes from the crash site, with survivors pulling fellow passengers from the wreckage. Mobile phone footage showed the aircraft in a steep descent before striking the ground and erupting into flames. Other images captured the plane’s fuselage torn apart, with significant sections lying upside down in a grassy area.
FlightRadar24 data revealed the aircraft made erratic altitude changes and a figure-eight pattern as it approached Aktau. The flight also reportedly experienced “strong GPS jamming,” which affected its transmission of accurate flight data, according to FlightRadar24. Such jamming has been linked to regional interference, with Russia previously accused of disrupting GPS signals.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan cautioned that the number of survivors and fatalities might still change as rescue and recovery efforts continue. Officials have so far confirmed the recovery of four bodies.
Azerbaijan Airlines, the operator of the flight, expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged full cooperation in the ongoing investigation.
