Tragic Crash: All 20 Turkish Military Personnel on Board Cargo Plane in Georgia Confirmed Dead

ANKARA, Turkey — A tragic accident occurred when a military cargo plane crashed in Georgia, claiming the lives of all 20 personnel on board. Turkey’s Defense Minister confirmed the news, expressing deep sorrow over the loss.

The C-130 plane had taken off from Ganja, Azerbaijan, and was headed back to Turkey when it went down in the Sighnaghi region, near the Azerbaijan border. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. A Turkish accident investigation team has arrived at the site and is working with Georgian authorities.

The crash debris was scattered over a plain surrounded by hills, covering farmland and rural areas. Minister Yasar Guler shared a message honoring the military personnel, referring to them as “heroic comrades-in-arms.”

Reports indicate that contact with the plane was lost shortly after it entered Georgian airspace, and no distress signals were sent. C-130 aircraft are integral to Turkey’s military, used frequently for transporting troops and logistics.

Turkey and Azerbaijan share strong military ties. Just days before the crash, Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attended Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations in Baku, commemorating a significant military success in the 2020 conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

While it is unclear if the personnel were linked to those celebrations, both Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili offered their condolences to Turkey. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also expressed their sympathies and support.

As this incident unfolds, discussions around military safety and operational protocols are likely to emerge. According to a recent report by the International Air Transport Association, military aviation incidents have decreased in recent years, but each loss still resonates deeply in the global community.

Currently, there are no details on funeral arrangements or the repatriation of the remains. This tragic event highlights the risks faced by military personnel and the bonds shared among nations in times of grief.

For more on military aviation safety trends, visit the International Air Transport Association.

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Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Tom Barrack, Mark Rutte, General news, Plane crashes, AP Top News, World news, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Azerbaijan government, Turkey government