Moscow, 25 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - At least 28 people have been rescued alive after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Kazakh authorities reported.

Rescue operations were ongoing, with more and more people being rescued alive, they said.

However, they also reported fatalities, including the aircraft's pilots.

The state-run Azerbaijani news agency Azertag reported that 62 passengers and five crew members were on board the aircraft, citing information from the airline.

Kazakh state news agency Kazinform had previously reported that up to 105 passengers and five crew members were on board the plane, which was travelling from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya.

The Tengrinews news agency said 22 people have been taken to hospital.

Tengrinews released a video of the incident, which shows the aircraft crashing into the coast of the Caspian Sea near Aktau airport and turning into a fireball.

Numerous videos of the accident were also shared on social media, showing a dense column of black smoke above the crash site.

The Embraer 190 aircraft attempted an emergency landing in Aktau, in south-west Kazakhstan, after colliding with a flock of birds, Azertag reported, citing initial reports from the airline.

Modern jets are designed to survive collisions with birds.

Grozny airport had reportedly been closed due to fog, forcing the aircraft to divert to Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian republic of Dagestan.

Aktau, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, is located some 200 kilometres from Makhachkala on the western shore.

Photo: screenshot