Turkey confirmed on Wednesday that a military transport aircraft crash in Georgia claimed the lives of 20 soldiers, marking the country’s deadliest military incident since 2020. The C-130 cargo plane departed from Azerbaijan bound for Turkey and went down in Georgia, scattering wreckage across a grassy area.
Ankara has not disclosed the cause of the crash, but both Turkish and Georgian authorities commenced investigations at the crash site in Sighnaghu municipality, Kakheti district, early Wednesday. Footage from the scene showed emergency vehicles surrounding the burnt fuselage, with search-and-rescue teams scouring the grounds.
Unverified social media clips depicted the plane breaking apart mid-air and spiraling towards the ground in flames. The Turkish Defence Ministry released the names of the 20 deceased soldiers on Wednesday.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported that the Georgian aviation authority stated contact with the plane was lost shortly after entering Georgian airspace, without issuing a distress signal. C-130 military cargo planes are extensively utilized by the Turkish armed forces for personnel transport and logistical operations.
Turkey and Azerbaijan share a strong military partnership. Condolences have poured in from leaders of Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack.
Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler engaged with his Georgian and Azerbaijani counterparts, along with Azerbaijan’s chief of staff, to coordinate search and rescue efforts.
Lockheed Martin, the U.S. company manufacturing the C-130 Hercules widely used by global air forces, expressed condolences and pledged support for Turkey during the investigation. The C-130 Hercules is renowned for its versatility in carrying cargo, troops, and equipment, and its ability to operate from unprepared runways.
Despite the aircraft’s reliability, some analysts noted that footage suggested the plane disintegrated mid-flight, highlighting the aging fleet of Turkey’s C-130s in need of modernization. The downed aircraft was reported to be 57 years old and had entered the Turkish Air Force in 2010.