42 feared dead in Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau

At least 42 people are feared dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Christmas morning. The Embraer 190, carrying 67 passengers and crew, went down during an emergency landing approximately three kilometres from the city.  

Kazakhstan’s emergency ministry reported that 25 people survived the crash, with 22 requiring hospitalisation. Preliminary findings suggest the aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, collided with a flock of birds, leading to the emergency landing attempt.  

The flight had been diverted due to heavy fog in Grozny, and witnesses reported seeing the plane circling the airport before the crash. Rescue and recovery efforts are underway as authorities investigate the incident.