Kazakhstan plane crash kills 27

The head of the Kazakh Border Services Department, Turganbek Stambekov, and 26 others were killed in a plane crash in southern Kazakhstan, authorities said. The AN-72 aircraft crashed Tuesday near Shymkent in South Kazakhstan region, Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency reported. "All 27 people onboard have been killed in the plane crash, including seven crewmembers and also Col. Stambekov, the head of the Border Services Department, his accompanying officers from the command center of the Department and officers from the regional department 'Ontustik' who had been in Astana on December 25 to take part in a meeting of the Military Council of the Border Services Department," the press release says. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.