Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan. (Source: Reuters)

38 dead as Azerbaijani airliner crashes in Kazakhstan during emergency landing

An Azerbaijani airliner headed to the Russian city of Grozny crashed in Kazakhstan earlier in the day. Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev confirmed that 38 people were killed in the accident.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Azerbaijani airliner diverted, crashed during emergency landing
  • Bad weather led to diversion, initial probe hinted at bird strike
  • Plane carried 67 people, 29 survived crash

At least 38 people died and 29 survived after an Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed in Kazakhstan while making an emergency landing. The airliner, Embraer 190, took off from Baku in Azerbaijan and was headed to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus.

The death toll was confirmed by Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev in a meeting with an Azerbaijani delegation in Aktau, reported Interfax, a Russian news agency.

The plane crashed after it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing 3 kilometers from Aktau, a city in Kazakhstan.

“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

While the exact cause of the crash has not be ascertained yet, preliminary information showed that the plane was diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency, Russia's aviation watchdog reported. However, according to news agency Reuters, an aviation expert suggested that cause seemed unlikely.

Several videos of moments before the plane crash went viral on social media, and appeared to show the airliner nosediving before smashing into the ground, following which the plane burst into flames.

Video: Moment plane nosedived, turned into ball of fire after crash in Kazakhstan

Some of the videos posted also showed survivors dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage.

While Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev did say that the plane changed course due to poor weather, he maintained that the cause of the crash needs to be fully investigated.

“This is a great tragedy that has become a tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people,” he said.

Those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals.