NATO military aircraft belonging to Turkey crashes

A Turkish NATO C-130 military transport aircraft crashed near the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday after reportedly spiraling out of control mid-air. Videos shared by local media showed the aircraft breaking apart before hitting the ground and exploding in a large fireball.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said the plane had taken off from Azerbaijan and was heading back to Turkey. The number of crew members on board has not been confirmed.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in coordination with Georgian authorities. Georgia’s Interior Ministry confirmed the crash occurred about five kilometres from the country’s border with Azerbaijan.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed condolences for “our martyrs” on the aircraft and said he hoped for minimal casualties.

Footage from the crash site showed debris scattered on the ground. Some reports suggested the plane may have broken apart due to an internal explosion, but officials have not confirmed the cause. Georgia has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence said: “A NATO C-130 cargo plane taking off from Azerbaijan to our country crashed in Georgia. Search and rescue efforts have been initiated in coordination with Georgian authorities.”

Turkey and Azerbaijan maintain close military ties, and video footage reportedly showing the crash aired on Turkey’s NTV and other local outlets, showing the aircraft spiraling as it descended and leaving a trail of white smoke.

The C-130 is one of the world’s most widely used and longest-serving military transport aircraft. Recent reports indicate Turkey has also agreed to purchase a dozen second-hand C-130J planes from the United Kingdom.