Christmas should have been a time for celebration and spending time with loved ones. however, a deadly Christmas day plane crash killed dozens of passengers.
The tragedy happened on one of the globe's most cherished holidays. According to the BBC, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight ended up crashing and killing dozens onboard. It had been flying the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in Russia. That's when it ended up making an emergency landing near Aktau in Kazakhstan.
The plane caught fire. During the resulting crash, dozens died. In total, at least 28 people survived the crash, but the plane had been carrying 67 people.
In a statement shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), the airline wrote, "According to preliminary information, the passengers included 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian citizens, 6 Kazakh citizens, and 3 Kyrgyz citizens."
Plane Crash
That's a devastating death toll. According to the airline, survivors needed medical assistance as emergency crews arrived at the scene.
"There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members. There were no children among the passengers, and information about the injured will be provided shortly," they added. "According to the information, there are survivors who are receiving initial medical assistance. Contacts are being established with the Kazakh authorities, and the necessary operational support is being provided by Kazakhstan's emergency rescue agencies at the scene.
What exactly happened is under investigation. However, dramatic footage showed the plane circling above before hitting the ground. Manufacturer Embraer released a statement about the crash. It said, "We are saddened to learn of the incident today near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Further updates will be provided as soon as more information is confirmed and Embraer is authorized to release. We stand ready to assist all relevant authorities. Our concerns and sympathy go to the families, friends, colleagues and loved ones affected by the accident."
Meanwhile, Aviation-security firm Osprey Flight Solutions speculated that Russian military air-defense shot down the plane.
"Video of the wreckage and the circumstances around the airspace security environment in southwest Russia indicates the possibility the aircraft was hit by some form of antiaircraft fire," Matt Borie, Osprey's chief intelligence officer, said.
However, Russia denies this and suggested it may have been a bird strike that caused the crash. In a statement, Azerbaijan Airlines sent its prayers to the deceased.
"We ask God for mercy on the passengers and crew members who lost their lives," a translated statement on X said. "Their pain is our pain. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured."
