Turkey says 20 troops killed in Georgia military plane crash

ANKARA – Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Nov 12 that 20 soldiers had been killed in the

crash of its military aircraft in Georgia a day earlier

, as inspectors continued to seek clues about what caused the Nato member’s cargo plane to go down.

The C-130 plane took off from Azerbaijan for Turkey and crashed in Georgia on Nov 11.

Ankara has not yet provided a reason for its deadliest military incident since 2020. It said Turkish and Georgian authorities began inspections at the site in the Sighnaghi municipality of Georgia’s Kakheti district, at 3.30am GMT on Nov 12.

Initial footage from the scene showed chunks of twisted metal strewn across a grassy knoll, while unverified footage on social media showed the plane breaking apart in midair and then corkscrewing towards the earth in a blaze.

On Nov 12, the Turkish Defence Ministry released a list of the 20 soldiers killed in the crash.

The leaders of Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, have conveyed condolences. Mr Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey, has also expressed his country’s solidarity with Turkey after the crash.

Turkish Defence Minster Yasar Guler on Nov 11 spoke to his Georgian and Azerbaijani counterparts, as well as Azerbaijan’s chief of staff, to discuss search-and-rescue operations.

US company Lockheed Martin, which makes the C-130 Hercules that is widely used by air forces around the world, expressed its condolences and said it was committed to helping Turkey during the investigation.

The C-130 Hercules is a cargo, troop and equipment carrier aircraft. It is described as a four-engine, turboprop military transport aircraft that can make use of unprepared runways for take-offs and landings.

Its versatile airframe has enabled it to be used for other purposes as well, including as a gunship and for airborne assault and reconnaissance operations. It is now viewed as one of the main tactical airlifters for many militaries. REUTERS