ASTANA, December 25. /TASS/. The passenger plane that crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines, Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry said in a statement.

"A plane en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near the city of Aktau. The aircraft belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines," the statement reads.

The airline’s press service has also confirmed the crash.

According to the ministry, the circumstances of the crash are being established and a special investigation will be carried out.