Khaberni - Turkey stated on Wednesday that 20 soldiers perished in the crash of a military cargo plane in Georgia yesterday, noting that with the exception of one, all bodies have been recovered, following the worst military incident witnessed by the NATO member country since 2020.
The plane, a C-130 model, took off from Azerbaijan and was headed towards Turkey but crashed in Georgia on Tuesday.
Ankara has not yet provided a reason for the plane's crash, but stated that Turkish and Georgian authorities have started investigation operations at the crash site.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a broadcast speech, "The authorities found our plane's black box, and examination operations have begun. We have recovered the remains of 19 of our martyrs, and our search for the remains of another martyr continues."
Photographic footage from the site near the border with Azerbaijan showed ambulances, fire trucks, and military vehicles in the area surrounding the plane wreckage while search and rescue teams combed the area.
Ankara stated that it is closely coordinating with Azerbaijan and Georgia regarding the investigation.
The American defense company Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the C-130 Hercules aircraft, stated that they are committed to assisting in the investigation.
The C-130 Hercules, widely used by air forces around the world, is equipped with four turbine engines and is known for its ability to take off and land on unequipped runways.
Footage circulated on social media, which could not be verified, showed the plane crashing in the air before it fell to the ground and flames erupted.
Some analysts noted that the footage indicates that the plane crashed in the air, adding that Turkey’s fleet of C-130s is old and in need of renewal, despite the good condition of the aircraft.
Jarrod Phillips, a former specialist in the US Air Force on the C-130 aircraft, said, "The footage seems to show the tail section separating during flight and fuel flowing from the wing tip valves, suggesting that the crew might have been draining fuel for an emergency landing."
FlightRadar24 and two Turkish analysts mentioned that the crashed plane was 57 years old and entered the Turkish Air Force in 2010.
Yesterday's accident is considered the worst military disaster for Turkey since February 2020, when Syrian forces backed by Russia at the time killed 33 Turkish soldiers in Idlib, northwest Syria.
