MOSCOW, Dec 25: A passenger plane crashed in a fiery explosion on Christmas Day, marking a tragic moment in aviation history. The plane, an Embraer E190AR, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, with 105 passengers and five crew members aboard. Initial reports had indicated there were 67 people on board.

The aircraft, which broke into several parts upon landing in Aktau, western Kazakhstan, was engulfed in flames. At least six survivors were reported, though they were in critical condition, according to Kazakhstan's Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova.

The plane, registered as 4K-AZ65, sent out a distress signal when it was at an altitude of 2,125 feet over the Caspian Sea. It was later reported that the aircraft had collided with a bird and experienced a steering failure. Witnesses saw the plane descending steeply, its nose pointed down sharply.

The plane had been rerouted to Aktau from its original destinations, Grozny and Makhachkala, due to poor weather conditions. The Kazakhstan air navigation service, Kazaeronavigatsiya, confirmed the emergency, stating that the Embraer 190 aircraft had declared an emergency after the bird strike and loss of steering control.

The flight, identified as AHY8243, was carrying 105 passengers and five crew members, with at least 60 Russian nationals reported to be on board. Grozny, the intended destination, is the capital of the Chechnya Republic, a Russian region led by Vladimir Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov, which has been involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.