Azerbaijani airliner crashes in Kazakhstan. Carrying 67 people crashed on Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, resulting in 38 fatalities and 29 survivors, according to a Kazakh official. The number of victims is growing. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev revealed these details during a meeting with Azerbaijani representatives, as reported by the Russian news agency Interfax.

The Embraer 190, was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia. Plane was diverted due to weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau. This information was provided by the Azerbaijan Airlines.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at a press conference, stated it was too early to determine the cause of the crash, but confirmed that the plane had altered its route due to worsening weather conditions and was heading for Aktau airport when it crashed during landing.

Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, reported that initial findings indicate the pilots redirected to Aktau following an onboard emergency caused by a bird strike.

Kazakh authorities reported that the passengers included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz nationals. Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general’s office had earlier stated that 32 of the 67 people onboard had survived the crash, though they noted that this figure was not yet definitive.

The Associated Press was unable to immediately reconcile the differing survivor counts provided by Kazakh and Azerbaijani officials.

38 people died, 29 people survived during the Azerbaijani airliner crashes

Mobile phone videos circulating online appeared to capture the aircraft in a steep descent before it struck the ground and burst into flames. Additional footage showed sections of the fuselage detached from the wings and other parts of the aircraft, which lay upside down in the grass. The visuals matched the plane’s colors and registration number.

Videos shared on social media showed survivors helping to pull fellow passengers away from the wreckage.

Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com revealed the plane performing what seemed like a figure-eight maneuver as it approached Aktau airport, with its altitude fluctuating significantly in the final moments before crashing. In a separate online post, FlightRadar24 noted that the aircraft experienced “strong GPS jamming,” which caused it to transmit inaccurate ADS-B data, a system used by flight-tracking platforms. Russia has previously faced accusations of disrupting GPS signals in the region.

Azerbaijan Airlines announced it would keep the public informed and temporarily changed its social media banners to solid black. The airline also suspended flights between Baku and Grozny, as well as Baku and Makhachkala in Russia’s North Caucasus, pending the outcome of its investigation into the crash.

Azerbaijan’s state news agency, Azertac, reported that a delegation comprising the emergency situations minister, the deputy general prosecutor, and the vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines was dispatched to Aktau to oversee an “on-site investigation.”

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was en route to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan upon learning of the crash, according to his press service. Aliyev had been scheduled to attend an informal gathering of leaders from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a group formed by former Soviet nations, in St. Petersburg.

Condolences to the victims of the plane crash in Kazakhstan

In a statement shared on social media, Aliyev offered his condolences to the victims’ families. “With deep sorrow, I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a swift recovery to the injured.” He also issued a decree designating December 26 as a national day of mourning in Azerbaijan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to Aliyev during a phone call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters. At the CIS meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin announced that Russia’s Emergency Ministry had dispatched a plane equipped with medical personnel and resources to Kazakhstan to aid in the response to the crash.

Authorities in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia have launched investigations into the incident. Meanwhile, Embraer, the manufacturer of the aircraft, stated that it is “ready to assist all relevant authorities”