UPDATE: A Missile Strike was found to be the cause of the Azerbaijan E190 crash. Read more here.

An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 crashed approximately 3 km from the city of Aktau today, December 25.

Images from the scene show that the aircraft lost speed and then crashed, followed by a large explosion.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan stated that the plane was traveling from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, in Russia’s Chechen Republic.

According to a statement from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, the first responders have started interventions at the crash site. A total of 52 personnel and 11 vehicles were dispatched to the scene, and the fire was extinguished.

While rescue teams were intervening in the fire, an operations center was set up in the area.

Route Change due to Fog

According to a statement from Grozny Airport, the aircraft, which took off from Baku, was redirected due to fog, first to Makhachkala, and then to Aktau in Kazakhstan.

It was later learned that the plane sent an emergency signal (Squawk 7700) over the Caspian Sea before crashing.

After sending the "SOS" signal over the Caspian Sea, the plane headed to Aktau Airport for an emergency landing. However, it crashed about 3 kilometers from the city of Aktau during the landing attempt.

Initial reports suggest that the plane made an emergency landing decision after colliding with a flock of birds, but this information has not yet been officially confirmed.

Passengers and Crew Onboard

Azerbaijan Airlines confirmed that there were 67 passengers and 5 crew members, totaling 72 people on board.

Kazakh officials stated that 25 people were rescued, but 5 of them were in critical condition.

Authorities continue to investigate the details of the crash.

The Aircraft Involved

According to Tengri News Agency, the plane that crashed near Aktau was an Embraer E190, a twin-engine jet commonly used on short and medium-range routes. This specific aircraft was registered 4K-AZ65, and was 11.6 years old at the time of the crash, per Planespotters.net.

The ERJ-190 (E190) model is designed to carry between 96 and 114 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. These planes can perform flights with a range of up to 4,500 kilometers.