A F-16 fighter jet of the Turkish Air Force crashed near a highway in western Türkiye early on Wednesday (25 February), killing its pilot, officials and media reports confirmed.
The jet lost radio and radar contact shortly after midnight following take-off from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balıkesir province, the Ministry of Defence said. Search and rescue operations were immediately launched, and the wreckage was soon located. The pilot, Major İbrahim Bolat, was confirmed killed.
“The aircraft lost contact at 00:56 and the wreckage has been located. Our heroic pilot has been martyred,” the ministry said, adding that an investigation would be conducted by an accident inquiry team.
The jet came down near the Istanbul-Izmir highway, scattering debris over a wide area, Hurriyet newspaper reported. Security forces, firefighters, and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. Traffic on the section of the highway near Karesi district’s Naipli area was temporarily closed while authorities worked at the site.
Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu visited the scene, confirming the crash occurred shortly after take-off and offering condolences.
“One of our pilots has been martyred. May God have mercy on our hero and bring patience to his family and our nation,” he said.
The Minister of Justice, Akın Gürlek, confirmed that the Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had opened an investigation. The ministry noted that the crash site had been examined by prosecutors, and accident inquiry teams were on site to determine the cause.
Minister of Defence Yaşar Güler paid tribute to Major Bolat, stating: “Our heroic comrade, Air Pilot Major İbrahim Bolat, was martyred as a result of the F-16 crash on 25 February 2026. May God have mercy on our hero; we extend condolences to his family and our Turkish Armed Forces. Our nation mourns him.”
Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, also offered his condolences to the pilot’s family and the nation, describing Major Bolat as a “heroic pilot.”
The Ministry of Interior said the incident was being closely monitored in coordination with all relevant agencies.
“The cause of the accident will be clarified following a technical investigation by the relevant crash inquiry team. We express our condolences to the family of our heroic pilot, to our armed forces, and to our nation,” the ministry said.
At this stage, no details have been released regarding the cause of the crash.
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partne...
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialo...
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative...
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance...
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and...
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Azerbaijan’s city of Shusha and the Turkish city of Trabzon have signed a sister-city agreement during the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, expanding regional cooperation between the two countries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and German counterpart Johann Wadephul said Monday that Ankara and Berlin are both keen to deepen strategic cooperation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for deeper solidarity among Turkic states amid rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Israeli forces intercepted dozens of Gaza-bound aid vessels in the eastern Mediterranean on Monday (18 May), prompting condemnation from the United Nations and Türkiye, while flotilla organisers said several ships continued sailing toward Gaza despite the operation.
Pakistan has deployed around 8,000 troops, fighter jets and air defence systems to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence agreement, according to security officials and government sources familiar with the arrangement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment