Dozens dead after Christmas Day plane crash: reports

Dozens have died after a passenger plane crashed on Christmas Day.

According to BBCThe Azerbaijan Airlines flight was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Grozny in Russia when it caught fire when it made an emergency landing near Aktau in Kazakhstan.

The outlet, citing local officials, reported that dozens of people had been killed in the crash.

Sore CNNat least 28 people survived the crash, including two children. Authorities also said the survivors had been taken to the hospital.

The Associated Press reported that Kazakhstan’s Emergencies Ministry confirmed in a Telegram statement that 67 people, including five crew members, were on board the plane.

PEOPLE has reached out to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, Azerbaijan Airlines and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan for comment.

Never miss a story – sign up PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to keep you updated on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In an initial declaration shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) and translated into English, the airline wrote: “According to preliminary information, the passengers included 37 Azerbaijani nationals, 16 Russian nationals, 6 Kazakh nationals and 3 Kyrgyz nationals.”

“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 soon,” they added. “According to the information, there are survivors who are receiving first aid. Contacts are being established with the Kazakh authorities, and the necessary operational support provided by Kazakhstan’s emergency response agencies on the ground.

According to CNN and Reutersa video showed the plane circling before it hit the ground and burst into flames. Passengers covered in blood were also seen emerging from the wreckage soon after.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the plane’s manufacturer Embraer 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 sympathies go out to the families, friends, colleagues and relatives affected by the accident.