Turkish Military Cargo Plane Crashes in Georgia

Reuters
Ankara: A Turkish C-130 military transport aircraft carrying at least 20 personnel crashed in eastern Georgia on Tuesday after taking off from Azerbaijan, officials confirmed. The number of casualties and the cause of the crash remain unclear.

Initial footage from the crash site in Georgia’s Kakheti region, near the Azerbaijan border, showed wreckage scattered across a grassy hillside, with parts of the fuselage still ablaze and thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. Unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show the plane spiraling before crashing and bursting into flames.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan interrupted a speech in Ankara to express condolences, referring to the victims as “our martyrs.” He said, “God willing, we will overcome this tragedy with minimum hardship. May God rest the souls of our martyrs.”

The Turkish Defence Ministry said the ill-fated aircraft was carrying 20 Turkish personnel, including the flight crew, but did not clarify whether any Azerbaijani servicemen were also on board. Local media, however, reported that both Turkish and Azerbaijani personnel were among those aboard the U.S.-made C-130 Hercules.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, in a phone call with Erdoğan, conveyed condolences and confirmed “the tragic loss of servicemen,” according to a statement from his office.

Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Georgian authorities reached the crash site in the Sighnaghi municipality around 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) and that joint search and rescue operations were underway.

Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced that an investigation had been launched under criminal codes related to air transport and loss of life.

The U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, said he was “deeply saddened by today’s tragic crash of a Turkish Armed Forces aircraft,” offering condolences to the families of the victims and affirming that the United States “stands in solidarity with our Turkish allies.”

U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the C-130 Hercules, also expressed condolences to Turkey and said it would support the investigation.

The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft widely used by militaries around the world for cargo transport, troop deployment, and humanitarian missions. Known for its versatility, the aircraft can operate from unprepared runways and is a key tactical airlifter for several air forces globally.

The plane reportedly departed from Azerbaijan’s Ganja city before crashing in Georgia’s rugged border region. Both Turkish and Georgian authorities are coordinating efforts to recover bodies and secure the wreckage as investigations continue.