The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that a C-130 military transport plane, which had taken off from Azerbaijan and was returning to Türkiye, crashed in Georgia, killing 20 soldiers. The accident occurred near the Sighnaghi district, close to the Azerbaijan border, and the cause of the crash has not yet been clarified.

Statements from Presidents and Ministers

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, immediately after the accident, stated, “Hopefully, we will overcome this incident with minimal loss, may God have mercy on our martyrs.” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his condolences, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the martyred soldiers,” and called Erdoğan to offer condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen soldiers.

Turkish Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler posted on the X platform that the plane had taken off from Azerbaijan and crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya also stated that Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze visited the crash site to begin investigations.

Flight Route and Disappearance

The C-130 took off from Trabzon at 09:50 a.m. and first landed in Ganja, Azerbaijan, at 11.06 a.m. After a short stop, it departed Ganja at 01.20 p.m. for the return flight to Türkiye but disappeared from radar 27 minutes after takeoff. The Georgian Air Navigation Authority reported that radar contact was lost shortly after the plane entered Georgian airspace and that no emergency signals were sent.

Wreckage and Investigation Efforts

The wreckage of the plane was reached at 05.00 p.m. The Ministry of Defense stated that search and rescue and accident investigation teams began examinations at 06.30 a.m. in coordination with Georgian authorities. The Georgian Interior Ministry confirmed that investigation and recovery operations were ongoing in cooperation with Turkish teams.

Initial Reactions in the Region

Following the crash, condolences were sent from both Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Azerbaijani government expressed its solidarity with the Turkish people’s grief, while calls for a national mourning period were raised in Türkiye. Authorities emphasized that investigations into the cause of the accident and determination of responsibility are continuing.