Tbilisi, Georgia: A Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules military cargo aircraft crashed in eastern Georgia on Tuesday, killing all 20 military personnel onboard, according to Turkish and Georgian authorities. The aircraft was en route from Ganja, Azerbaijan, to Turkey when it went down in the Kakheti region near the Azerbaijan–Georgia border.
The Lockheed C-130, a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft, reportedly lost contact with air traffic control shortly after entering Georgian airspace. Witnesses in the Sighnaghi Municipality described seeing the plane on fire before it crashed into hilly terrain.
Rescue teams from Georgia’s Emergency Management Service and Turkish military units launched a joint search and recovery operation, later confirming that no survivors were found among the 20 people onboard.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry said debris was scattered across a wide area, indicating the aircraft may have broken apart mid-air before impact. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with both countries cooperating on a joint technical inquiry. Preliminary assessments suggest the aircraft might have experienced an in-flight fire or catastrophic mechanical failure, though officials have not yet confirmed this.
The Turkish Defence Ministry confirmed the tragedy, stating,“We have lost 20 of our heroic personnel aboard a military transport plane during duty. Search and rescue efforts have been completed in coordination with Georgian authorities.”
Turkey has dispatched a high-level investigation team to Georgia, including defence and aviation safety experts, to coordinate recovery and analysis efforts.
The governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia both expressed solidarity with Turkey. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev conveyed condolences to Erdoğan, stating,“We share the sorrow of our Turkish brothers and stand by them in this difficult time.”
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also confirmed his country’s full cooperation with Turkish officials in the investigation, adding that emergency response units “arrived at the site within minutes of reports of the crash.”
The downed C-130 was reportedly an older model that had served in the Turkish Air Force for decades. The aircraft type, known for its durability and versatility, is used globally for military transport and humanitarian aid missions.
