Passenger plane crashes near Aktau, 6 survive out of 72 on board

A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, while en route from Baku to Grozny, leaving 67 passengers and five crew members on board, according to preliminary reports.

The Embraer 190 aircraft reportedly encountered difficulties, with six people surviving the crash, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Health.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. One theory suggests the plane may have collided with birds. Video footage from the crash site has been circulating on social media.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that adverse weather conditions, including fog, forced the flight to divert to Makhachkala, Dagestan, instead of its planned destination in Grozny, Chechnya.