Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry has confirmed that 32 persons have been recorded as survivors among the 62 passengers, 5 crew members onboard Azal Airline flying from Baku to Grozny city in Russia that burst into flame while negotiating emergency landing on Christmas day near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan.

“32 people have been identified as survivors after an Azerbaijani Airlines (Azal) passenger plane crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a press statement on its website.

Azal Airlines in a press release on its social media handles stated the 62 passengers onboard the plane include 37 citizens of Azerbaijan, 3 citizens of Kyrgyzstan, 6 citizens of Kazakhstan and 16 citizens of Russia.

“The Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, flight numbered J2-8243 on the Baku-Grozny route, made an emergency landing approximately 3 kilometers near the city of Aktau”, Azal Airlines stated in quote.

Kazakh authorities had earlier said 28 people had survived the crash of the Embraer 190 near the city of Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.

The plane was flying from the Azerbaijani capital Baku on the western shore of the Caspian to the city of Grozny in Chechnya in southern Russia.

Eyewitness video shows survivors of plane crash in Kazakhstan pulled from wreckage

Some videos  shared online showed rescuers pulling out survivors from the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Akatu, Kazakhstan, with some of them coming apparently looking strong but with some injuries.

10 people from the crash have been admitted to the Aktau Multidisciplinary Hospital, according to earlier reports from local media.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said its teams found the aircraft on fire upon arrival at the scene.

“Rescue units began extinguishing the fire. Currently, information about the victims is being clarified, and according to preliminary information, there are survivors,” the ministry said.

Azal Airlines also known as Azerbaijan Airlines in numbers of updated press releases, stated and in quote that: “There were 62 passengers on board. According to preliminary information, 37 of them were Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian citizens, 6 Kazakhstan citizens, 3 Kyrgyzstan citizens. The list of passengers will be announced to the public soon.

There were no children among the passengers, information about the victims will be provided soon. According to the information, there are survivors, they are given first aid.

Contacts are carried out with the Kazakhstan side and necessary operative and necessary support is provided by the emergency rescue agencies of Kazakhstan at the scene of the incident”.

Meanwhile, official statement by Russia  Federal Air Transport Agency also known as Rosaviatsiya blamed bird strike on the possible cause of the plane crash.

“Today, around 09:30 Moscow time, an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by the Azerbaijani airline, Azal collided with the ground near the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea while approaching Aktau airport in Kazakhstan for landing.

Preliminary information suggests that after a bird strike and the resulting emergency situation on board, the aircraft’s captain decided to divert to an alternate airport, choosing Aktau as the destination.

Emergency services of the Republic of Kazakhstan are conducting search and rescue operations.

Rosaviatsiya is in contact with the carrier Azal, as well as the aviation authorities of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan”, the Russia Air Transport Agency stated.

Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry in a press release some hours ago, said and in quote that:

“On 25 December, the Embraer 190 aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines, with operating flight number J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, was directed to Aktau due to an emergency landing requirement and crashed near the city. The causes of the accident are being investigated.

There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members. According to preliminary information, 32 people have been identified as survivors. Some of them are in critical condition.

Following the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, a state commission chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov has been established to investigate the causes of the plane crash.

Moreover, per the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a delegation led by the Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan as well as the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, departed for Kazakhstan in connection with the tragic accident.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Aktau has been operating at the scene since the first moment of the accident. Emergency rescue agencies are taking urgent operational measures in coordination with the Kazakhstani side.

Hotlines related to the accident: Azal: (+994) 12 5048280, (+994) 12 5048202, (+994) 12 5048203.

Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Aktau, +77087127016.

Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan:+7 7172 559621, +7 7292 319091.

We pray for Allah’s mercy on those who died in the accident and for the recovery of those injured.”