Recovery underway after Turkey military plane crash kills 20 near Azerbaijan border
While the cause of the crash remains unclear, officials said the aircraft’s black box has been recovered.
ANKARA — Military officials and search and rescue teams from Turkey and Georgia worked on Wednesday to recover the remains of 20 Turkish troops killed when a military aircraft crashed in Georgian airspace a day earlier.
The Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that all 20 personnel on board the C-130 military cargo plane died after it went down near the eastern Georgian town of Sighnaghi, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, shortly after taking off from the northwestern Azerbaijani town of Ganja.
Authorities have not provided details on the cause of the crash, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that the aircraft’s black box had been recovered and that an investigation was underway.
Turkish and international officials have expressed their condolences.
“Deepest condolences to our Ally Turkey and the loved ones of all those lost in the tragic crash of a Turkish military plane,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte posted on X on Tuesday. “We honor their service and are deeply grateful for all that the Turkish Armed Forces - and indeed all our men and women in uniform across the alliance - do to keep us safe every day.”
The Turkish Air Force has roughly 20 C-130 Hercules in its inventory.
The C‑130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft, is widely used for military cargo, troop transport and humanitarian missions. It is known for its ability to take off from rough airfields and carry heavy payloads over long distances.
This developing story has been updated.
