A passenger plane traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia has crashed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, with 62 passengers and five crew members on board. Flight J2-8243, an Embraer 190, was forced to make an emergency landing about 3 kilometers from the city after being rerouted due to fog in Grozny, Russia.
Also Read: Plane Crash in São Paulo, Brazil, Results in Deaths of All 61 Onboard
Upon crash landing, the aircraft caught fire, with emergency responders quickly arriving to put out the flames. Kazakh authorities confirmed that 27 people, including three children, survived the crash and have been hospitalized. Unverified footage from the scene showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, including a possible bird strike, while recovery efforts for the deceased continue. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has cut his visit to Russia short following the tragedy.
This incident follows another recent crash in Brazil, where nine people lost their lives in a small plane crash.
