Turkey’s Erdogan Announces Investigation into Libyan Military Plane Crash
Turkey’s Erdogan announced the launch of an investigation into the crash that killed Libya’s army chief of staff near Ankara, offering condolences as Turkish authorities recovered the aircraft’s black box.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Turkey has launched a formal investigation into the crash of a Libyan military aircraft that killed Libya’s army chief of staff and his companions, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed sorrow and extended condolences to the Libyan government and people.
On Wednesday, Erdogan wrote on his official account on the social media platform X that he was deeply saddened by the crash of the aircraft carrying Mohammed Ali Haddad, Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces, and those accompanying him.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of Mohammed Ali Haddad, Chief of Staff of Libya, and his companions,” Erdogan said. He added that, on behalf of the Turkish state and people, he conveyed his condolences to the Libyan government and nation, praying for mercy for the victims.
The Turkish president also confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the crash had officially begun and said that relevant ministries would provide further information as it becomes available.
The aircraft crashed near Haymana, roughly fifty kilometers from Ankara, after departing from the capital on an official flight. All passengers on board were killed, including Libyan military officials and the flight crew.
The crash involved a Falcon-50 aircraft, which went down less than forty minutes after takeoff. According to Turkish officials, the plane had reported an electrical malfunction shortly after departure and requested to return before communication was lost.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Wednesday that authorities had recovered both the cockpit voice recorder and the black box from the crash site. He said the devices were found during inspections of the debris field, which extended across an area of approximately three-square kilometers.
Yerlikaya stated that specialized teams have begun examining the recorders and that the black box would be analyzed in a neutral country. He added that 408 personnel, including rescue teams, gendarmerie, police, and medical staff, were deployed to the site, supported by 103 ground vehicles, seven aircraft, and drones equipped with thermal cameras.
According to Turkish authorities, the crash killed eight people: Libyan Chief of Staff Mohammed Ali Haddad, four of his aides, and three crew members. The victims’ remains were still at the site as recovery operations continued.
A delegation of twenty-two people, including Libyan officials and family members of the victims, arrived in Ankara on Wednesday.
Experts cited in Turkish media said an electrical malfunction alone would not normally cause a complete aircraft failure, noting that weather conditions and additional factors may have contributed. Officials said analyzing the black box data could take several months.
Turkey’s public prosecutor in Ankara has formally opened a judicial investigation into the crash.
Haddad had arrived in Ankara earlier on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart. He held meetings with the Turkish Minister of Defense and the Chief of General Staff as part of ongoing official exchanges between the two countries.
Turkey is a key ally of the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli and has provided military and economic support since January 2020. Libya has remained politically divided since 2011, with rival administrations in Tripoli and eastern Libya.
As investigations continue and black box data is analyzed, the deadly crash has cast a shadow over Turkish-Libyan relations, prompting both mourning and a detailed inquiry into one of the most serious aviation incidents involving senior Libyan officials.