Azerbaijani passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan, casualties feared

Azerbaijani Airlines flight 8432, travelling from Baku to Grozny, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau, government officials have said.

At least fourteen people survived the crash, according to health officials.

“At the moment, 14 survivors have been taken to the regional hospital, including five in intensive care,” the health ministry’s regional department said in a statement.

Local media outlets reported the plane was carrying 67 passengers and five crew.

Azerbaijan Airlines said the Embraer 190 aircraft, with flight number J2-8243, had been flying from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya, but had been forced to make an emergency landing approximately 3 km (1.8 miles) from the Kazakh city of Aktau.

Unverified video of the crash showed the plane, which was operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, bursting into flames as it hit the ground and thick black smoke then rising.

Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.

This is a developing story and will be updated.