A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines from Baku to Grozny crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) said.
The Embraer 190 aircraft with flight number J2-8243 crashed near Aktau Airport. The ministry reported 28 survivors in the incident, with rescue operations going on.
There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and five crew members, Azerbaijan Airlines said on social media platform X.
According to Kazakh media reports, the passengers aboard included 37 citizens from Azerbaijan, 16 from Russia, six from Kazakhstan, and three from Kyrgyzstan.
The initial cause of the tragedy appears to be a bird strike.
The MES dispatched 52 personnel and 11 units of equipment to the site, where the aircraft was found to be on fire.
The Embraer 190 aircraft is designed to carry between 96 and 114 passengers, depending on its cabin configuration. The aircraft can fly up to 4,500 km.
According to flight tracking service provider FlightAware, the aircraft took off from Baku 11 minutes ahead of schedule. While flying over the Caspian Sea, it issued an emergency signal.
Azerbaijani media reported that the aircraft was unable to obtain permission to land in Grozny due to fog, leading it to be redirected to Makhachkala of Russia's Dagestan and later to Aktau.
Azerbaijan Airlines has assured that more information will be provided, while local authorities and emergency services are investigating the crash.
Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes near Aktau
As the Spring Festival approaches, hotels in east China's Zhejiang Province are offering innovative family reunion dinner packages that combine traditional new year feast with countryside tours and skiing activities, catering to the growing demand for diverse holiday experiences.
The Lunar New Year's Eve dinner is a cherished tradition for Chinese people as family members get together to celebrate the most important traditional festival. In Hangzhou's Jinhua Town, a village hotel has added a unique twist to this festivity by offering reunion dinners featuring authentic rural recipes. "Our reunion dinner reservations are in hot demand, with most guests coming from Shanghai, Jiangsu [Province], or local areas in Hangzhou. The overall booking volume [for both dinners and accommodation] has increased by about 20 percent compared with previous years," said hotel staff member Pan Xiaoyan.
To enrich the holiday experience, the hotel lobby houses a rural cultural exhibition area that showcases local snacks, handmade paper-cuts, and other crafts. The hotel manager said they hope these exhibits can encourage visitors to explore nearby villages, immersing themselves in the natural beauty and folklore culture.
In Jiande County's Changning Village, a traditional "pork feast" celebrates the festive season with hearty pork stew and fresh fruits and vegetables.
"I saw online ads about the delicious reunion dinner packages here, so I brought my family to experience it. It reminds me of my childhood in my hometown," said diner Wu Jiaji.
The village has also introduced countryside tour packages, offering unique recreational activities such as catching pigs, learning traditional songs and dances, visiting local markets, and strawberry picking. Since its launch less than a month ago, the program has already hosted over 40 tourist groups from major cities including Shanghai. This innovative approach has enhanced the leisure experience for visitors, set to give a boost to rural tourism during the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday season.
In Tonglu County, a guesthouse has embraced the winter season by offering New Year's Eve dinner packages that are especially popular among skiing enthusiasts. Over 30 percent of the packages are already booked.
Local hotels have also partnered with the nearby ski resort to offer discount skiing tickets and other benefits for guests during their stay. "We expect to host 80,000 to 90,000 visitors this year and have plans to introduce night skiing as well as a variety of daytime activities," said ski resort manager Lu Yanfeng.
In Lishui City's Gaoping Township, a newly opened outdoor ski resort has attracted hundreds of visitors during its trial run. Capitalizing on this interest, local businesses have introduced reunion dinner services with packages that incorporate intangible cultural heritage elements, such as traditional opera performances and handicraft workshops.
The Chinese Lunar New Year falls on January 29, with an eight-day public holiday running from Jan 28 to Feb 4.
Zhejiang's innovative Spring Festival packages combine reunion dinners with countryside tourism
