Turkey has confirmed that all 20 soldiers aboard a C-130 military transport plane have died following a crash near the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The Turkish Defence Ministry stated there were no survivors after the aircraft went down, with wreckage spread across the Sighnaghi municipality.
Defence Minister Yaşar Güler called the soldiers “heroic martyrs” and paid tribute to their sacrifice.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.
Joint teams from Turkey and Georgia have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The aircraft lost radar contact shortly after entering Georgian airspace.
Witnesses described a massive explosion and black smoke rising from the crash site.
This incident is the deadliest military aviation accident for Türkiye since 2020. It has drawn sympathy and condolences from world leaders in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Qatar.
Video coverage of the event is available on English Oneindia.
The tragic crash of Turkey’s C-130 aircraft resulted in the loss of all 20 soldiers on board, prompting a joint investigation and international condolences.