The plane, An Embraer (EMBR3.SA) operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. Among those on board were at least 60 Russian nationals, travelling to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region, an area under the control of Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov.
Its fiery descent resulted in it being broken into several parts upon crash landing.
Towering flames and thick plumes of black smoke were seen rising ominously into the sky as emergency responders were rushed to the scene to battle the blaze.
The death toll was disclosed by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev in a meeting with an Azerbaijani delegation in Aktau, Russian news agency Interfax reported.
Authorities said that 28 people were miraculously pulled alive from the wreckag
The Central Asian country’s emergencies ministry said in a statement that fire services had put out the blaze and that the survivors were being treated at a nearby hospital.
Two of the hospitalised survivors are children, believed to be girls aged 11 and 16.
“They are receiving all the necessary medical care in hospitals in the region,” said the Ministry of Health.
Leave a comment