Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was on its way to Grozny in Russia but was diverted because of fog, the airline told the BBC. Unconfirmed reports initially said that the aircraft then experienced a bird strike, causing it to catch fire and attempt an emergency landing near the Kazakh city of Aktau. However newer reports have indicated that the plane was struck by Russian fire.
The airline is conducting an investigation into the incident and has canceled all flights between Baku and the Russian cities of Grozny and Makhachkala in the interim. Additionally, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have launched investigations into the crash. Embraer, the maker of the aircraft stated it was "ready to assist all relevant authorities." It has had a historically strong safety record.
BBC News reports that most of the passengers on board were Azerbaijani nationals with others being from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
A mother who was on her way to spend the holidays with her children has been confirmed dead. Another mother who was transporting medical tests for her sick child is missing. A young woman told the BBC she was desperately trying to find out if her father, who was on board, survived the crash.
*This article has been updated to reflect the cause of the crash after Russia took blame for the incident.
