An Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday after crashing short of the runway during an emergency landing attempt, resulting in the rescue of 27 people, according to Kazakh authorities.
The Embraer 190 aircraft, operating as flight J2-8243, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it diverted to Aktau due to adverse weather conditions, according to reports.
The Aviation Herald reported that the aircraft “impacted ground off the runway and caught fire” while turning onto the final approach for Aktau’s runway 11.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that there were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and five crew members. The ministry reported that rescue teams found the aircraft on fire upon arrival, but the fire was subsequently extinguished.
According to preliminary data from Kazakhstan’s transport ministry, the passengers included 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian citizens, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz citizens.
Azerbaijan Airlines has released the names of all 62 passengers and five crew members on board. The list, published on the airline’s Facebook page, provides the names of all individuals involved in the incident.
“Contacts are being established with the Kazakh authorities, and the necessary operational support is being provided by Kazakhstan’s emergency rescue agencies at the scene,” Azerbaijan Airlines said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The airline has also established a hotline for family members of those on board, providing the numbers (+994) 12 5048280, (+994) 12 5048202, and (+994) 12 5048203.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The airline said that “additional information regarding the incident will be provided to the public.”
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24.com identified the aircraft as an Embraer ERJ-190 with registration 4K-AZ65, aged 11.6 years.
According to FlightRadar24.com, the flight departed Baku at 3:55 UTC and was flying to Grozny. The aircraft experienced strong GPS jamming over the Caspian Sea, causing it to transmit faulty ADS-B data. The ADS-B signal was lost at 4:40 UTC, reappeared at 6:07 UTC, and the crash occurred at 6:28 UTC.
Kazakh authorities are working to clarify details about the victims, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is expected.
This is a developing story, and Aviation Updates Philippines will provide further updates as they become available.
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