Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes near Kazakhstan's Aktau airport
25 December 2024, 07:08 | Updated: 25 December 2024, 08:39
Dozens are feared dead after a passenger plane carrying 67 people crashed in Kazakhstan, the country's emergencies ministry said.
Authorities say 27 people survived the crash, including three children.
The Azerbaijan Airlines flight was en route from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Russia, but was rerouted due to fog.
It crashed near the city of Aktau, in the west of the country.
Pictures from the crash site show the wrecked tail section of the Embraer 190 plane, with emergency services working around it.
More than 50 rescuers are at the scene, where a fire has been extinguished, Kazakhstani authorities said.
It's not yet clear what happened that caused the plane - which was carrying 62 passengers and five crew - to crash.
Read more from Sky News:
Olympic snowboarder killed in Switzerland
Hong Kong issues arrest warrant for activist, 19, in UK
Survivors are being treated at a nearby hospital.
Azerbaijan Airlines said the aircraft had been forced to make an emergency landing at Aktau airport.
Russia's aviation watchdog said in a statement that preliminary information suggested the pilot had decided to make
an emergency landing after a bird strike.
Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Vladimir Putin and leader of Chechnya, expressed his condolences and said those being treated in hospital were in an extremely serious condition and that he and others would pray for their rapid recovery.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
(c) Sky News 2024: Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes near Kazakhstan's Aktau airport
