Passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan; survivors reported

A passenger plane carrying over 100 people crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, according to reports from the country's Emergencies Ministry.   

Local media outlet Kazpravda.kz reported that the crash caused a fire at the site.

"A total of 52 rescuers from the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry and 11 pieces of equipment arrived at the scene. Upon arrival, they found the plane engulfed in flames. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish the blaze. Preliminary data suggests there are survivors," the Ministry stated.

Initial reports indicate that at least 105 passengers and five crew members were on board. While the exact toll remains unclear, at least 25 survivors have been reported, with 22 hospitalised.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and details about the victims are being verified.

The plane, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190, was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya. It was rerouted to Aktau due to dense fog.

Online flight tracking website FlightRadar24 data shows the plane flying over the Caspian Sea and heading towards its destination, in Chechnya. As the plane entered Russia's territorial borders, it started circling near the airport. Following this, it requested an emergency landing.

At 6:28 am local time, the plane crashed a few kilometres away from the airport.

According to FlightRadar24, the plane was exposed to "strong GPS jamming, which made the aircraft transmit bad ADS-B data."

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Unverified videos circulating on social media show the moment the plane crashed, bursting into flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

An operational headquarters has been established at the Command Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, with a hotline made available for inquiries.

Further updates on the incident are awaited.