Turkish Military Aircraft Crashes in Georgia During Return from Azerbaijan
President Erdogan Confirms Crash Near Border
ANKARA — A Turkish C-130 military cargo aircraft traveling from Azerbaijan to Türkiye crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that one of our C-130 military planes crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border while returning to our country,” Erdogan said during an event in Ankara.
He added that search and rescue operations were underway in coordination with national authorities. “May God have mercy on our martyrs,” he said.
Search and Rescue Operations Continue
The Turkish Defense Ministry stated that the aircraft was carrying 20 people, including crew members. In a post on the social media platform X, the ministry said joint search and rescue operations had been launched with Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities.
Later, the ministry announced that Georgian teams had located the wreckage at 5 p.m. local time and secured the site. A Turkish crash investigation team is on its way to examine the wreckage and determine the cause of the accident.
Government Officials Express Condolences
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed deep sorrow over the incident on NSosyal, Türkiye’s local social media platform.
He said he spoke with his Georgian counterpart Gela Geladze, who was also heading to the crash site. Yerlikaya later confirmed that both countries were maintaining close communication and that search and rescue teams had reached the wreckage around 5 p.m.
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran urged the public to rely only on official sources for updates. “Please avoid sharing unverified information to ensure accuracy,” he said.
Türkiye and Georgia Coordinate Rescue Efforts
According to diplomatic sources, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the ongoing operations with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, who expressed condolences on behalf of Georgia.
On NSosyal, Fidan stated that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments in coordination with Georgian authorities.
The Georgian air traffic authority Sakaeronavigatsia reported that the aircraft disappeared from radar soon after entering Georgian airspace and did not send any distress signal. Georgian officials said the crash is being investigated under the country’s criminal code, which addresses violations of air transport safety resulting in loss of life.
Azerbaijan Extends Condolences
Following the incident, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called President Erdogan to express condolences and reaffirm solidarity between the two nations.
According to a statement from the Azerbaijani presidency, both countries’ institutions remain in close contact regarding the situation.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also spoke with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov, who expressed his nation’s condolences and emphasized that Azerbaijan is closely following the developments.
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