Aktau, Dec 25 (V7N) — A passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines tragically crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 34 people. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff, with the aircraft catching fire mid-air. The plane was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members.

Preliminary reports indicate that 37 passengers were Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz nationals. Kazakh authorities have confirmed that 28 individuals, including passengers and crew, were rescued alive from the wreckage.

Rescue teams responded promptly, extinguishing the fire and assisting survivors. Over 105 emergency personnel were deployed to the scene, and Kazakhstan's Health Ministry dispatched a team of specialist doctors from the capital, Astana, to treat the injured.

Initial investigations by Russia's aviation monitoring agency suggest that the plane collided with a flock of birds shortly after takeoff, prompting the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. Tragically, the aircraft crashed during this manoeuvre. Kazakh authorities have established a government commission to investigate the precise cause of the accident.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was on a visit to Russia, cut his trip short following the tragedy. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences in a phone call, expressing support for the victims and their families.

"We express our deepest condolences to those who lost their relatives and friends in this plane crash and wish a speedy recovery to those who survived," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.

Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, also expressed his sympathies, noting that the condition of those hospitalized is "extremely serious." He wished the injured a swift recovery.

As the investigation unfolds, this incident has left both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in mourning, with many awaiting further details on the cause of the crash.

END/RH/AJ