Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash linked to bird strike

KATHMANDU: A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES).

The Embraer 190, flight number J2-8243, went down near Aktau Airport.

Authorities confirmed all 67 people onboard, including 62 passengers and five crew members, were safely rescued.

Passengers included 37 Azerbaijani, 16 Russian, six Kazakh, and three Kyrgyz nationals, according to Kazakh media reports. Initial investigations suggest the crash was caused by a bird strike.

The MES dispatched 52 personnel and 11 units of equipment to the site as the aircraft caught fire after the crash.

The Embraer 190 is designed to carry 96 to 114 passengers, depending on its cabin configuration, and has a maximum flight range of 4,500 kilometers.

Flight tracking data showed the plane departed Baku 11 minutes ahead of schedule. While flying over the Caspian Sea, it issued an emergency signal.

Azerbaijani media reported that dense fog prevented it from landing in Grozny, forcing a diversion first to Makhachkala and later to Aktau.

All passengers are safe, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.