Our C-130 military cargo plane crashed: 20 of our soldiers were killed
Sait Çıkrıkçı
12.11.2025
222
Twenty soldiers lost their lives when a C-130 military cargo plane crashed over Georgia while returning to Turkey from Azerbaijan. The Ministry of National Defense announced at 7:30 a.m., "Our heroic comrades-in-arms were martyred on November 11, 2025."
The Ministry stated, "The cause of the crash will be determined following a detailed investigation of the wreckage by our accident investigation team."
Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze said in a statement on Wednesday that 18 bodies had been recovered from the crash site and two were still being searched for.
It is reported that the families of the deceased soldiers were notified during the night.
The names of the soldiers who lost their lives are as follows:
Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Gökhan Korkmaz
Sergeant Berkay Karaca
Master Sergeant İlker Aykut
Air Force Major Nihat İlgen
Lieutenant Emre Mercan
Sergeant Major Emrah Kuran
Sergeant First Class İlhan Ongan
Specialist Emre Sayın
Senior Sergeant Ahmet Yasir Kuyucu
Sergeant First Class Emre Altıok
Air Force Pilot First Lieutenant Cüneyt Kandemir
Sergeant First Class Hamdi Armağan Kaplan
Sergeant Major Burak İbbiği
Senior Sergeant Nuri Özcan
Air Force Major Serdar Uslu
Senior Sergeant Ümit İnce
Sergeant Burak Özkan
Specialist Corporal Cem Dolapçı
Sergeant Ramazan Yağız
Sergeant Akın Karakuş
It crashed without giving an alarm signal
A C-130 military cargo plane crashed in the Kakheti region of Georgia immediately after crossing the Azerbaijani border.
The Georgian aviation authority announced that the Turkish military aircraft disappeared from radar "without giving an alarm signal."
The FlightRadar24 website and two Turkish defense analysts noted that the crashed aircraft was 57 years old and had joined the Turkish Air Force in 2010.
The Ministry of National Defense announced that the wreckage of the crashed military cargo plane was reached around 5:00 p.m. on November 11.
Jarrod Phillips, a retired U.S. Air Force C-130 expert speaking to Reuters news agency, said images of the crash "suggest the crew may have jettisoned fuel for an emergency landing."
Phillips said, "The images show that the tail section separated during flight and fuel leaked from the wing tip valves."
Condolence messages to Turkey
Condolence messages poured in from various countries following the incident.
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said in a statement on X that he was "deeply saddened" by the accident.
He said, "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs, the Turkish Armed Forces, and the Turkish people."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, "We offer our deepest condolences to our ally Turkey and the families of those who lost their lives."
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the soldiers who were martyred."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also offered "condolences to the Turkish government, its people, and the families of those who lost their lives."
Entered service in 1964
C-130s are transport aircraft used for long-range airborne delivery, cargo, and personnel transport.
The C-130, manufactured by the American defense company Lockheed Martin, entered service with the Turkish Air Force in 1964.
According to TRT News, there are 19 C-130E and C-130B Hercules aircraft in the inventory.
In 2012, Turkey also purchased six used C-130E transport aircraft that had been decommissioned by Saudi Arabia.
In October, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it would procure 12 C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft from the Royal Air Force.
Kaynak : bbc.com
Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze said in a statement on Wednesday that 18 bodies had been recovered from the crash site and two were still being searched for.
It is reported that the families of the deceased soldiers were notified during the night.
The names of the soldiers who lost their lives are as follows:
Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Gökhan Korkmaz
Sergeant Berkay Karaca
Master Sergeant İlker Aykut
Air Force Major Nihat İlgen
Lieutenant Emre Mercan
Sergeant Major Emrah Kuran
Sergeant First Class İlhan Ongan
Specialist Emre Sayın
Senior Sergeant Ahmet Yasir Kuyucu
Sergeant First Class Emre Altıok
Air Force Pilot First Lieutenant Cüneyt Kandemir
Sergeant First Class Hamdi Armağan Kaplan
Sergeant Major Burak İbbiği
Senior Sergeant Nuri Özcan
Air Force Major Serdar Uslu
Senior Sergeant Ümit İnce
Sergeant Burak Özkan
Specialist Corporal Cem Dolapçı
Sergeant Ramazan Yağız
Sergeant Akın Karakuş
It crashed without giving an alarm signal
A C-130 military cargo plane crashed in the Kakheti region of Georgia immediately after crossing the Azerbaijani border.
The Georgian aviation authority announced that the Turkish military aircraft disappeared from radar "without giving an alarm signal."
The FlightRadar24 website and two Turkish defense analysts noted that the crashed aircraft was 57 years old and had joined the Turkish Air Force in 2010.
The Ministry of National Defense announced that the wreckage of the crashed military cargo plane was reached around 5:00 p.m. on November 11.
Jarrod Phillips, a retired U.S. Air Force C-130 expert speaking to Reuters news agency, said images of the crash "suggest the crew may have jettisoned fuel for an emergency landing."
Phillips said, "The images show that the tail section separated during flight and fuel leaked from the wing tip valves."
Condolence messages to Turkey
Condolence messages poured in from various countries following the incident.
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said in a statement on X that he was "deeply saddened" by the accident.
He said, "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs, the Turkish Armed Forces, and the Turkish people."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, "We offer our deepest condolences to our ally Turkey and the families of those who lost their lives."
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the soldiers who were martyred."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also offered "condolences to the Turkish government, its people, and the families of those who lost their lives."
Entered service in 1964
C-130s are transport aircraft used for long-range airborne delivery, cargo, and personnel transport.
The C-130, manufactured by the American defense company Lockheed Martin, entered service with the Turkish Air Force in 1964.
According to TRT News, there are 19 C-130E and C-130B Hercules aircraft in the inventory.
In 2012, Turkey also purchased six used C-130E transport aircraft that had been decommissioned by Saudi Arabia.
In October, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it would procure 12 C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft from the Royal Air Force.
Kaynak : bbc.com
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