Turkey has announced that 20 soldiers were killed in the military transport aircraft crash in Georgia. The remains of 19 soldiers have been recovered, while search efforts continue for one missing serviceman. The incident has been recorded as the deadliest military accident in a NATO member country since 2020.
The C-130 Hercules military cargo plane, which had taken off from Azerbaijan en route to Turkey, crashed within Georgian territory on Tuesday. The aircraft broke apart after striking a grassy hill. Footage from the area showed ambulances, fire trucks, and search and rescue teams working intensively around the burned fuselage.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated in a live broadcast: “The black box of our aircraft has been found, and investigations have begun. We have recovered the bodies of 19 of our martyrs. Our search continues for the last missing soldier.”
While Ankara has not issued an official statement on the cause of the crash, it announced that Turkish and Georgian officials have launched a joint investigation in the area. Turkey is also said to be coordinating closely with Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities.
U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the C-130, announced that it would support the technical investigations, stating: “We are committed to providing technical assistance throughout the investigation process.”
