A Turkish Air Force General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet crashed near a highway in western Turkey early Wednesday, killing its pilot, according to officials and local media. The aircraft lost radio and radar contact shortly after midnight following take off from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balikesir province, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Search and rescue teams were immediately deployed, and the wreckage was located soon after. The ministry said the pilot had been โmartyred.โ
F-16 crashed within 6 minutes of takeoff
According to officials, the aircraft took off at around 00:50 local time on Tuesday night. The Turkish defence ministry said in an official statement that radio contact and tracking data were lost at 00:56 (local time). Search and rescue operations were launched immediately, and the wreckage was located soon after. Authorities confirmed that the pilot had been killed in the crash.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said in a post on social media that an F-16 assigned to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir had crashed during a mission flight around 00:50 (local time), resulting in the death of 1 pilot. He offered prayers for mercy upon the deceased, patience for the family, and condolences to the Turkish nation.
Investigation team formed
The defence ministry said the wreckage has been recovered and a special accident investigation commission has been formed to determine the cause of the crash. The reasons behind the incident will be known only after the inquiry is completed. The Balikesir Chief Public Prosecutorโs Office has also launched an investigation.
The crash is seen as a significant setback for the Turkish Air Force, as F-16 fighter jets play a crucial role in Turkeyโs defence capabilities. Security personnel, firefighters and medical teams were deployed to the site. Debris was scattered along the Istanbul-Izmir highway in the Karesi district. Turkeyโs President, the defence minister and other officials have expressed condolences to the family of the deceased pilot. The incident marks another tragic accident for the Turkish Air Force in recent years.
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