By: Mike Paul
Ankara, Nov 12 — All 20 Turkish soldiers on board a C-130 military cargo plane were killed after the aircraft crashed in Georgia near the Azerbaijan border, the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed.
The plane lost radar contact 27 minutes after entering Georgian airspace before crashing in the Signagi region, about five kilometers from the Azerbaijani border. Video footage showed the aircraft spiraling downward with smoke trailing.
Rescue teams from Türkiye and Georgia launched immediate search-and-rescue operations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze discussed joint efforts in a phone call.
The C-130 has been in service with the Turkish Air Force since 1964. Türkiye recently announced plans to modernize its fleet with 12 new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
- TNS News