A plane flying from Ankara to Tripoli crashed shortly after takeoff due to a sudden technical malfunction, resulting in the death of Libya’s Army Chief and other passengers.
According to reports, the aircraft departed from Esenboğa Airport in Ankara bound for the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Around 30 minutes after takeoff, the plane developed technical issues and lost contact with air traffic control.
Following the loss of communication, the aircraft attempted to return to Ankara, but it crashed before landing.
There were five people on board, including Libya’s Chief of Staff. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has confirmed the death of the army chief.
Reports identified the deceased military leader as General Mohamed Ali Al-Haddad, who had visited Türkiye earlier in the day and held meetings with the Turkish Minister of Defense. The aircraft crashed while he was returning from Türkiye.
Following the incident, Türkiye temporarily closed its airspace in the affected area, while search and rescue teams and security agencies were placed on high alert.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Interior Minister stated that the aircraft took off at 8:10 pm, lost contact at 8:52 pm, and later reported an attempted emergency landing near Haymana. However, communication could not be re-established afterward.