Turkish C-130 Military Plane With 20 Aboard Crashes in Georgia Near Azerbaijan Border

A Turkish C-130 military cargo aircraft carrying at least 20 people crashed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Georgia’s Sighnaghi municipality, near the Azerbaijan border, according to the Turkish Ministry of National Defence. Reuters reported that search and rescue operations are underway in coordination with Georgian authorities. However, officials have not yet confirmed the number of casualties or revealed the cause of the crash.

What Happened Before the Crash

A Turkish C-130 military cargo aircraft carrying at least 20 people crashed in Georgia’s Sighnaghi Municipality, near the Azerbaijan border, while returning from a scheduled mission. According to Al Jazeera, the aircraft lost contact shortly after entering Georgian airspace, and no distress signal was sent before the crash. Turkish and Georgian authorities immediately launched coordinated rescue and investigation efforts at the site.

In an official statement, the ministry said that search and rescue teams from both Turkey and Georgia were immediately deployed to the crash site to recover survivors and assess the wreckage.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended his condolences to the families of the fallen, referring to them as national heroes who lost their lives in service. The Georgian Interior Ministry has since secured the area while Turkish investigators prepare to examine the aircraft’s flight data recorders to determine the cause of the crash.