According to the Azerbaijan APA news agency, there were a total of 67 passengers and 5 crew members on the crashed plane. The Russian Satellite News Agency cited information from the Azerbaijan Airlines, stating that the reason for the crash was a collision with a flock of birds. A passenger aircraft operating the Baku-Grozny route for Azerbaijan Airlines crashed today (December 25) in Aktau in western Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed that the aircraft crashed near Aktau, and a fire occurred at the crash site. According to preliminary information, there are survivors among the crashed plane's occupants. The Kazakhstan Emergency Situations Ministry dispatched 52 firefighters and 11 pieces of equipment for firefighting operations.