Türkiye Recovers 19 Bodies After Military Plane Crash Near Border

English , Middle East - مشرق وسطٰی , Snippets , / Wednesday, November 12th, 2025

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Sources Anadolu Agency

Istanbul, November 12 (RKI) — Türkiye has recovered the bodies of 19 military personnel from the site of Tuesday’s cargo plane crash near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border, while search operations continue for one missing crew member, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a meeting of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Ankara, President Erdoğan said the aircraft’s black box has been found and a full investigation is underway. “All aspects of this tragic incident will be examined thoroughly,” he said, noting that the efforts of Türkiye, Georgia, and Azerbaijan have been fully mobilized for recovery and investigation.
The president expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the fallen personnel, reading their names and offering prayers for them. He also urged the public to avoid misinformation and rely on official updates from the National Defense Ministry and the Communications Directorate.
Following the crash, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan immediately coordinated with Georgian counterparts to launch search and rescue operations. Unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed to survey the mountainous terrain, and a 46-member crash investigation team was dispatched to the site.
Erdoğan thanked Georgia and Azerbaijan for their rapid assistance and solidarity, describing their response as “support at the highest level.”
Türkiye’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the remains of the martyrs will be flown home aboard a Turkish A-400M military aircraft. He expressed gratitude to Georgian authorities for their cooperation and assured that updates on the investigation will continue to be shared with the public.