A Turkish military cargo plane carrying at least 20 people has crashed near the Azerbaijan-Georgia border, Turkey's defence ministry has confirmed. Officials have not yet verified whether there are any casualties, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended condolences to 'our martyrs.'
Search and rescue efforts are currently underway at the crash site. The C-130 cargo plane, which had been transporting personnel from Azerbaijan to Turkey, reportedly lost contact with radar without sending a distress signal. The flight included both crew members and officials.
Emergency crews have been deployed to the area, with images from the scene showing wreckage and responders. Georgia's aviation authority indicated that the aircraft went missing approximately 5km (3 miles) from Azerbaijan.
In the aftermath of the crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shared his sorrow over the tragic loss of servicemen and expressed sympathies to President Erdogan and the Turkish people. The U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, also conveyed his grief, sending condolences to the victims' families and Turkish Armed Forces.
The C-130 aircraft, produced by the United States, is commonly used for various military transport operations worldwide.
