Aktau, Kazakhstan — A passenger plane has crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday, citing Kazakhstan’s Emergencies Ministry.
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane was en route from Baku to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya region but was rerouted due to heavy fog conditions in Grozny. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft attempted an emergency landing near Aktau but crashed before reaching the airport.
Rescue teams have been dispatched to the crash site, and emergency services are currently working to assess the situation. The number of passengers and crew on board has not yet been confirmed, and there is no official information on casualties.
Witnesses in the area reported seeing the aircraft descending rapidly before hearing a loud explosion. “I saw the plane flying unusually low,” said a local resident. “There was a loud noise, and then we saw smoke rising from the steppe.”
Azerbaijan Airlines has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident. Flight rerouting is a common procedure when destination airports experience adverse weather conditions, but it remains unclear what led to the crash during the diversion.
The Kazakhstan authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Weather conditions in the Aktau region were reportedly stable at the time of the accident.
The international community awaits further details as officials work to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
