All 20 Aboard Turkish Military Cargo Plane Killed in Georgia Crash

All 20 personnel on board a Turkish military C-130 cargo plane died when the aircraft crashed in Georgia’s Sighnaghi municipality near the Azerbaijani border, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler announced today.

The plane was traveling from Ganja, Azerbaijan, to Turkey when contact was lost shortly after entering Georgian airspace yesterday, according to the Georgian aviation authority. The aircraft did not send a distress signal. A Turkish accident investigation team is at the crash site working with Georgian authorities to determine the cause of the accident. The crash underscores the risks inherent in military transport operations, particularly in challenging terrain.

“Our heroic comrades-in-arms were martyred on November 11, 2025, when our C-130 military cargo plane… crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border,” Minister Guler said in a statement posted on X, accompanied by photographs of the deceased personnel. Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze stated that the remains of 18 victims have been recovered, with efforts continuing to locate the final two. Details will be released “in stages” in coordination with Turkish authorities, he added.

The C-130, which entered the Turkish Armed Forces inventory in 2010 after previously serving in Saudi Arabia, is widely used for personnel and logistical transport. Turkey and Azerbaijan maintain close military ties, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently attended Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations. Condolences have been extended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Authorities have not yet announced funeral arrangements or when the remains will be returned to Turkey.