Turkey Confirms the Tragic Loss
Turkey’s Ministry of Defence confirmed on Wednesday that 20 soldiers died when a military transport plane crashed in Georgia. The C-130 Hercules aircraft had been flying back to Turkey from Azerbaijan when it went down in Georgian airspace, as first reported in Turkish Military Cargo Plane Crashes in Georgia.
In its official statement, the ministry said the aircraft carried 20 Turkish military personnel, including the flight crew. Sadly, none of them survived the crash.
Defence Minister: A Great Loss for Our Armed Forces
Defence Minister Yaşar Güler called the crash a great loss for the country’s military. He said, We honour our fallen comrades who served their nation with courage.
Authorities have already started a detailed investigation. They aim to determine whether technical failure, bad weather, or another factor caused the tragedy.
Challenging Rescue Operations in the Mountains
The aircraft went down in a remote mountainous area of Georgia. As a result, rescue teams faced severe challenges in reaching the wreckage. Poor visibility and rough terrain slowed their progress for several hours.
Turkish and Georgian teams worked side by side to complete the recovery mission. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by thick smoke rising from the mountains.
Meanwhile, emergency officials secured the crash site to collect evidence and recover the flight recorders.
High-Level Investigation Underway
The Turkish government has formed a special commission to lead the investigation. Experts will examine the black box data and cockpit recordings. In addition, aviation engineers will inspect maintenance logs to identify possible mechanical faults.
Although the C-130 is considered a reliable aircraft, experts say difficult weather conditions and mountainous terrain often increase flight risks.
Nation in Mourning
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed deep sorrow over the deaths. He extended heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and said, Our entire nation shares their pain.
In response, military bases across Turkey lowered their flags to half-mast. Moreover, memorial services are being planned in Ankara and several other cities.
This tragedy stands among the deadliest Turkish military aviation accidents in recent years. Consequently, it has renewed calls for stronger flight safety measures during regional operations.
