A Turkish C-130 military cargo plane carrying at least 20 personnel crashed in eastern Georgia on Tuesday after taking off from neighboring Azerbaijan, Turkish and Georgian officials said. The number of casualties and the cause of the crash remain unclear.
The aircraft went down in Georgia’s Kakheti region, near the border with Azerbaijan, scattering debris across a grassy hillside. Footage from the scene showed twisted metal fragments and parts of the fuselage engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising into the air.
Videos circulating online appeared to show the aircraft spiraling before impact, though Reuters said it could not immediately verify their authenticity.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan interrupted a speech in Ankara to announce the incident, offering condolences for what he called “our martyrs”, a term he uses for fallen service members.
“God willing, we will overcome this crash with minimum hardships. May God rest the souls of our martyrs,” he said after receiving a briefing note from aides.
Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed that 20 Turkish personnel, including the flight crew, were on board the U.S.-made C-130 but did not clarify whether there were also Azerbaijani servicemen among them.
Local media in both Turkey and Azerbaijan reported that the aircraft had taken off from the Azerbaijani city of Ganja.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he had spoken with Erdoğan following “the tragic news of the loss of servicemen,” according to an official readout.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry said the crash site, in the Sighnaghi municipality of Kakheti, was reached around 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) by rescue teams, who were continuing search and recovery operations.
The ministry said an investigation had been opened under criminal code provisions related to air transport accidents and loss of life.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack expressed condolences on social media, saying he was “deeply saddened by today’s tragic crash of a Turkish Armed Forces aircraft” and affirming that the United States “stands in solidarity with our Turkish allies.”
Lockheed Martin, the U.S. defense company that manufactures the C-130 Hercules, also extended its condolences. “We are committed to supporting our customer in any way as they investigate,” spokesperson Chris Karns said.
The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft used globally for cargo, troop transport, and a range of tactical operations.
Its rugged design allows it to operate from short and unpaved runways, and it serves as a key component of many air forces’ logistical and humanitarian missions.
As of late Tuesday, authorities from Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan were continuing joint efforts to recover the wreckage and determine the cause of the crash.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
