Stranded bus passengers rescued after breakdown on Moscow-Tashkent route
A passenger bus travelling from Moscow to Tashkent broke down in Kazakhstan's Aktobe Region on Wednesday. Emergency services responded after receiving a distress call to the 112 hotline. All 13 passengers were safely evacuated from the disabled vehicle.
The incident occurred at the 1,094-kilometre mark of the highway connecting the Russian border to Aktobe, Kyzylorda, Almaty, and the Chinese border. The breakdown happened in the Irgiz District, leaving passengers stranded until help arrived.
Rescue teams transported the evacuees—two Kazakh citizens and 11 Uzbek nationals—to the Kochernik campsite in Kalybai village. None of the passengers needed medical treatment after the evacuation.
This breakdown follows a pattern of severe traffic incidents along the Moscow–Tashkent route in recent years. Between 2021 and 2025, at least eight countries or regions, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, have reported major crashes. Notable accidents include a 2023 collision near Moscow that killed 25 people, a 2024 crash on Kazakhstan's Almaty highway with 12 fatalities, and an 18-death incident near Tashkent in 2022.
The passengers have been safely relocated while authorities assess the cause of the breakdown. The repeated incidents on this route highlight ongoing risks for long-distance bus travel in the region. No further disruptions have been reported since the evacuation.
