Ankara, November 11, 2025: A Turkish C-130 military cargo plane crashed in Georgia on Tuesday shortly after taking off from Azerbaijan, prompting a search and rescue operation and condolences from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkiye’s Defence Ministry confirmed the crash, which occurred near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, and said it is coordinating with Georgian authorities to reach the site.
President Erdogan, speaking in Ankara, was informed of the incident during a speech and expressed his sorrow. “God willing, we will overcome this crash with minimum hardships. May God rest the soul of our martyrs, and let us be with them through our prayers,” he said.
Neither Erdogan nor official sources provided details about the cause of the crash or the number of casualties. Local media reports indicate that both Turkish and Azeri personnel were on board.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said he had spoken to his Georgian counterpart, who was traveling to the crash site to assist with the ongoing operations.
