Azerbaijan plane crash: Four bodies recovered and dozens more feared dead after 'bird strike'


The crash occurred after the plane attempted an emergency landing less than two miles from the city. Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry reported that 28 people survived the incident and have been taken to hospital.
The aircraft had 67 individuals on board, including five crew members. "There may be more survivors," the ministry stated, according to Russian news agency Interfax. Medical workers at the scene confirmed the recovery of four bodies.
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Hide AdThe flight was originally scheduled to travel from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia. Azerbaijan Airlines confirmed the nationalities of the passengers: 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhstani, and three Kyrgyzstani nationals. The crash is believed to have been caused by an emergency situation following a bird strike, according to Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia. "The pilot chose to divert to Aktau after the bird strike," a spokesperson said.
Distressing footage shared on social media showed the aircraft making a steep descent before crashing into the ground and erupting into a fireball. Other videos captured survivors pulling fellow passengers from the wreckage, while the remnants of the plane's fuselage lay upside down in the grass.
Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com revealed erratic altitude changes in the plane's final moments as it approached Aktau airport. The website also noted the aircraft encountered "strong GPS jamming," which resulted in "bad ADS-B data" transmitted during the flight. Similar GPS interference has previously been attributed to Russian operations in the region.
The death toll has fluctuated as the search and rescue operation continues. Initial reports suggested 25 survivors, later revised to 27, and then 28. As recovery efforts persist, authorities fear the number of fatalities could exceed 30.
Search teams remain on-site as officials investigate the crash's causes and work to identify victims.
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