Ankara (Web Desk): Turkiye on Wednesday stated that its air C-130 military cargo plane crashed near the Azerbaijan-Georgia border shortly after departing from Azerbaijan en route to Turkey, killing all 20 personnel on board.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy during a public address in Ankara, noting that the plane went down near the border while on its way to Turkey.
He added that rescue teams are working alongside local authorities to conduct recovery operations, and he offered prayers for the fallen soldiers.
Burhanettin Duran, Director of Turkiye Communications, stated that search and rescue efforts commenced immediately after the crash was reported.
He urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information and to rely on official updates from authorities.
The crash has cast a pall of mourning across Turkey, with all relevant agencies actively investigating the circumstances of the accident.
The incident has not only shocked the nation but also reverberated across the region, eliciting widespread grief.