Dozens feared dead after Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes near Kazakhstan's Aktau airport

By Henry Moore

Forty-two people are likely to have died in an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Kazakhstan's emergency ministry has said.

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Dozens of people are feared dead after the plane crashed on Christmas morning, with emergency responders reporting 27 survivors, including three children.

The plane was on route from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Russia.

It was rerouted due to heavy fog before crashing near Aktau airport in the west of the country.

The plane was on fire when emergency workers arrived, the blaze has since been put out.

Survivors were transported to a nearby hospital.

According to Azerbaijan Airlines, the Embraer 190 aircraft crash-landed just two miles from Aktau airport.

Kazaeronavigatsiya - the Kazakhstan air navigation service - said: "An Embraer 190 AHY8243 aircraft travelling on the Baku-Grozny route declared an emergency situation due to collision with a bird and violation of steering control….

“The aircraft was carrying 105 passengers and five crew members.”