On November 11, 2025, a Turkish Armed Forces Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane en route from Azerbaijan to Türkiye crashed in Georgian airspace. The incident was publicly announced by the Ministry of National Defense (MSB). In its statement, the MSB said: “Our C-130 military cargo aircraft, which took off from Azerbaijan to fly to our country, has crashed near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border. Search and rescue operations have begun in coordination with the Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities.”
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the plane went down in the Signagi region, approximately five kilometers from the Azerbaijani border. The Georgian Air Navigation Agency stated that radar contact with the aircraft was lost just a few minutes after it entered Georgian airspace, and that no emergency signal had been transmitted.
A video purportedly showing the crash of the cargo plane circulated on November 11, 2025. (Kocaeli Gazetesi)
Number of Personnel on Board
In a subsequent statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense confirmed that a total of 20 personnel, including the flight crew, were aboard the aircraft. The statement read: “There were 20 of our personnel, including the flight crew, on the downed aircraft. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.”
Search and rescue activities are being conducted jointly with Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities. Turkish Armed Forces units and civilian rescue teams have been dispatched to the area. Georgian officials stated that an investigation had been launched at the crash site and that findings would be shared with the public in stages.
Official Statements and Condolences
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said regarding the accident, “It is with deep sorrow that we have learned that our C130 military aircraft, which was en route from Azerbaijan to our country, crashed on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. We are continuing our efforts in coordination with the relevant authorities to reach the wreckage. May Allah have mercy on our martyrs.”
Radar image of the crashed cargo plane, November 11, 2025 - (Flightradar24)
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya held a telephone conversation with Georgian Interior Minister Geka Geladze. In a statement on his social media account, Yerlikaya said he learned “with deep sorrow” that a C130 military cargo plane belonging to the Ministry of National Defense, which was traveling from Azerbaijan to Türkiye, crashed on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. Yerlikaya said that search and rescue efforts were ongoing and that his counterpart Geladze had gone to the scene and conveyed his condolences to the Turkish people.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev made the following statement in writing regarding the accident: "We were deeply shocked to hear that soldiers lost their lives when a military cargo plane belonging to the Turkish Air Force, which took off from Gence, crashed in Georgian territory. In this difficult time, I share your grief and, on behalf of myself and the Azerbaijani people, I extend my deepest condolences to you, to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and to the brotherly Turkish people. May Allah rest their souls."
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran stated the following in a social media post: "Following the crash of a military cargo plane on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border this afternoon, search and rescue operations were promptly initiated. To ensure the public is accurately informed, it is important to only consider statements from official institutions and refrain from sharing unverified information. Respectfully announced to the public."
Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş posted a message on his social media account regarding the military cargo plane that crashed on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, saying, "I was deeply saddened to learn that a military cargo plane belonging to our Ministry of National Defense, which was returning to our country from Azerbaijan, crashed in Georgia. We are closely monitoring the ongoing search and rescue operations in the region. I pray for Allah's mercy on our martyrs and for patience for their families and loved ones. May our beloved nation be blessed."
Mehmet Daniş, the Chairman of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), emphasized that no information should be shared other than official statements regarding the incident. He stated, “It is of great importance to respect the sensitivities of our society and the families of our martyrs, and to refrain from sharing images from the crash site.” RTÜK announced that necessary investigations were being carried out into broadcasts that could disrupt public order or contribute to the spread of misinformation.
