On Tuesday, November 11, a Turkish Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft en route from Azerbaijan to Türkiye, carrying 20 military personnel, crashed in Georgia near the Azerbaijan border, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced on November 12. According to Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the plane lost radar contact just 27 minutes after entering Georgian airspace before descending in a spiral and crashing about 5 kilometers from the border in the Signagi region.
Turkish and Georgian authorities immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation. A large security perimeter was set up around the site, where dozens of ambulances and firefighting teams worked through the day to secure the area. Video footage from Turkish outlets showed the aircraft trailing a plume of white smoke as it went down.
In a joint call Tuesday evening, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze discussed ongoing rescue and recovery plans. Both leaders expressed solidarity and pledged full support for the families of the fallen crew members.
The C-130 has been a workhorse for the Turkish Air Force since 1964, supporting military and humanitarian missions worldwide. Earlier this year, Türkiye signed an agreement to modernize its fleet with 12 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the United Kingdom, aiming to boost safety and performance in demanding operations.
This tragic accident highlights the challenges of maintaining aging military transport fleets and underscores the importance of international cooperation in emergency response. As investigators probe weather conditions and technical data, the global aviation community is focusing on lessons that could improve flight safety for years to come.
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Türkiye says military plane crash in Georgia killed all 20 onboard
cgtn.com
