WANA (Nov 12) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, has expressed condolences to the families of the victims of a Turkish military aircraft crash in Georgia that claimed several lives.

 

Baqaei conveyed Iran’s sympathy to the government and people of Turkey, expressing deep sorrow over the tragic incident. He prayed for divine mercy upon the victims and patience and strength for their loved ones.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman

Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that a C-130 military cargo plane, en route from Azerbaijan to Turkey, had crashed in Georgian territory. Officials said an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.

 

Investigations are still underway into the crash of the Turkish C-130 military transport plane, which was flying from Azerbaijan to Turkey when it went down. Ankara has yet to release the cause of the incident, which is considered the country’s deadliest military aviation disaster since 2020.

 

 

Turkish and Georgian officials have launched a joint inspection at the crash site in the Sighnaghi district of Georgia’s Kakheti region. Early images from the scene show twisted metal debris scattered across a grassy hillside, while videos circulating on social media appear to capture the aircraft breaking apart midair and spiraling toward the ground.

 

The Turkish Defense Ministry on Wednesday confirmed the deaths of 20 service members and released their names.

 

Lockheed Martin, the U.S. manufacturer of the C-130 Hercules, said it stands ready to assist Turkey in the ongoing investigation. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also expressed condolences and solidarity with the alliance member.

 

The four-engine, turboprop C-130 is a military cargo aircraft used for transporting troops and equipment and can operate from unprepared airstrips. Its versatile design allows it to be adapted for missions such as gunship support, airborne assault, and reconnaissance, making it one of the most widely used tactical transport aircraft in the world.