Anadolu staff
11 November 2025•Update: 11 November 2025
ANKARA
A Turkish C-130 military cargo aircraft en route from Azerbaijan crashed in Georgia on Tuesday, the Turkish president said.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that one of our C-130 military aircraft, en route from Azerbaijan to our country, has crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a Tuesday event in the Turkish capital Ankara.
“Our search and rescue operations are continuing in coordination with national authorities. May God have mercy on our martyrs,” he added.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the aircraft was carrying 20 people, including the flight crew, adding on US social media company X that search and rescue operations were launched in coordination with Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities.
The ministry later announced: "Georgian search and rescue teams reached the wreckage of the plane at 5 pm. The wreckage has been secured.”
"Our crash investigation team is on its way to the site," it added, stating that the cause of the crash will be determined following a detailed examination of the wreckage by the Turkish team.
On Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya also expressed his "deep" sorrow over the incident.
Yerlikaya said he discussed the crash over the phone with his Georgian counterpart Gela Geladze, who he said was also on his way to the scene.
In another post, Yerlikaya said he and Geladze are continuing follow-up calls.
Geladze "reached the wreckage of our C-130 military cargo plane around 5 pm, and search and rescue efforts are continuing," he added.
Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also said on NSosyal that search and rescue operations were launched "promptly" following the crash.
“To ensure accurate public information, we kindly urge everyone to rely solely on statements issued by official authorities and to refrain from sharing unverified information,” he added.
Georgian search and rescue efforts
According to Foreign Ministry sources, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had a phone call with his Georgian counterpart Maka Botchorishvili to discuss search and rescue efforts.
Botchorishvili also conveyed her condolences over the plane crash.
On NSosyal, Fidan said that Türkiye is closely monitoring the situation together with Georgian authorities.
Commenting on the incident, Georgia's air traffic authority Sakaeronavigatsia said that the military cargo aircraft went down near the border with Azerbaijan, after which they dispatched a search and rescue team.
On Facebook, the authority said the plane disappeared from its radar several minutes after crossing into Georgian territory without transmitting a signal.
The Georgian Interior Ministry also said on Facebook that the incident is being investigated under the country's criminal code, which it said "implies a violation of the rules of air transport safety or operation, which resulted in the loss of human life."
Azerbaijan's condolences
Following the crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences over the incident in a phone call with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Turkish counterpart.
"During the telephone conversation, it was noted that the relevant state institutions of Azerbaijan and Türkiye are in contact regarding the incident," a statement by the country's presidency said.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also spoke by phone with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov about the situation.
On NSosyal, Yilmaz said Asadov conveyed Azerbaijan’s condolences and solidarity and stressed that the country is closely following the situation. Yilmaz thanked the Azerbaijani leader for his “heartfelt condolences” and prayed for the fallen personnel.
