- The plane crashed in Georgia near the Azerbaijani border shortly after taking off from Ganja
- The crash is Turkey’s deadliest military accident since 2020
- Turkish and Georgian authorities are jointly investigating the crash site
The Turkish Defence Ministry has confirmed that a C-130 military transport plane crashed in Georgia near the Azerbaijani border shortly after taking off from Ganja, killing all 20 people on board.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Defence Minister Yasar Guler described the fallen personnel as “heroic comrades-in-arms” in a social media post, sharing photos of the crew in uniform.
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Turkish and Georgian authorities are jointly investigating the crash site in Sighnaghi municipality, Kakheti district, searching for clues to determine the cause of the disaster.
The crash is Turkey’s deadliest military accident since 2020, occurring approximately five kilometres from the Georgian-Azerbaijani border. Air traffic controllers in Georgia said the plane disappeared from radar without sending any distress signals.
Dramatic footage circulated by Azerbaijani media showed a thick cloud of black smoke rising from the wreckage, with debris scattered across the area.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his grief over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families of the deceased. Turkey and Azerbaijan maintain close military and cultural ties, with Ankara providing training and equipment to Baku.
Condolences have poured in from countries around the world, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Italy, and Malta.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, also extended sympathies, praising the service of Turkish Armed Forces personnel. Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the C-130 Hercules, pledged to support the ongoing investigation.
The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft widely used worldwide to carry troops, cargo, and equipment, and is a mainstay of military aviation.
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