Air Astana aircraft issued a distress signal and made an emergency landing in Almaty

Tengrinews.kz – An Air Astana aircraft made an emergency landing in Almaty due to smoke on board, citing the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport.

The aviation incident occurred on the morning of December 17 during the operation of the scheduled flight KC-851 on the Almaty–Astana route. The crew of the Airbus A321neo operated by Air Astana declared a MAYDAY emergency due to smoke in the cabin.

The distress signal was issued at 07:38 Astana time. The aircraft landed safely at Almaty Airport at 07:40 AM.

According to preliminary information, none of the passengers or crew members were injured. To ensure safety after landing, the airport’s fire and emergency rescue services were deployed.

The Department for the Investigation of Transport Accidents and Incidents is currently working to establish the detailed circumstances of the incident.

Earlier, it was reported that pilots of a SCAT Airlines aircraft bound for Almaty had to return to Aktobe Airport after a passenger fell ill during the flight. After landing, the woman was handed over to an ambulance crew, which continued resuscitation efforts but later pronounced her dead.