20 Turkish Soldiers Killed in Georgia Military Plane Crash

Members of emergency services work at the site of the Turkish C-130 military cargo plane crash near the Azerbaijani border, in Sighnaghi municipality, Georgia.

Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced that 20 soldiers were killed when a military transport plane crashed in Georgia. The aircraft, a C-130 cargo plane, had departed from Azerbaijan and was en route to Turkey when communication was lost shortly after takeoff.

Georgian emergency teams reported that 18 bodies were recovered at the crash site, with search operations continuing to locate the remaining victims. Witnesses shared footage showing the plane breaking apart mid-air before spiraling down into farmland near the Azerbaijani border.

This tragedy is Turkey’s deadliest military aviation accident in recent years. Both Turkish and Georgian authorities have launched investigations, and officials confirmed that the aircraft’s black box has been recovered. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and pledged a thorough inquiry into the cause of the crash.