Turkish Plane crash: Georgia interior Minister at site where C-130 Hercules went down

Georgian Interior Minister Geka Geladze has visited the site of the Turkish military helicopter crash in Sighnaghi Municipality, near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border.

He was accompanied by First Deputy Minister Roni Meskhi and heads of various police and rescue units.

The search and rescue operation is ongoing, with investigators and emergency teams working on the ground to assess the situation.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has confirmed that all relevant departments are actively involved to ensure the safety of the area and support the ongoing investigation.

Authorities continue to coordinate closely with Turkish officials, emphasizing swift action and cross-border cooperation. The crash highlights the importance of preparedness and rapid response in such critical incidents. 

A telephone conversation took place between Foreign Ministers of Türkiye and Georgia, Hakan Fidan and Maka Bochorishvili earlier in the day. 

Bochorishvili extended condolences to Türkiye over the incident while the duo exchanged information about ongoing rescue operations.

In a statement released by the Ministry of National Defence on Tuesday, 11 November, it said that the aircraft had 20 personnel onboard including the flight crew adding that search and rescue operations were still ongoing at the site of the crash. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed deep sorrow regarding the C -130 military aircraft crash that occurred on the Georgia - Azerbaijan border.

Speaking at a summit on Tuesday, the President said that efforts to reach the wreckage are continuing in coordination with the local authorities.

"God willing, we will overcome this accident with the least possible loss. May our Lord have mercy on our martyrs.

Let us, with our prayers, be by their side, God willing." he said.

Türkiye’s defence ministry said on Tuesday afternoon that one of its C130 military cargo planes has crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border on Tuesday.

In a statement, it said search and rescue operations were ongoing at the site of the incident and that the plane had departed Azerbaijan and was heading to Türkiye.

Türkiye's Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya also reacted to news of the crash stating that he was in touch with his Georgian counterpart.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev condoled with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the incident. 

In his message, the head of state wrote: “We were deeply saddened by the tragic news of the loss of servicemen in the crash of a Turkish Air Force military cargo plane, which took off from Ganja and crashed in Georgian territory.

In this moment of sorrow, I share your grief and, on behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, extend heartfelt condolences to You, the families and loved ones of the deceased, and the fraternal people of Türkiye.” he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a phone call to discuss ongoing search and rescue operations following the crash of a Turkish C-130 military cargo plane in Georgia. During the conversation, Kobakhidze expressed his condolences for the deaths of the 20 people on board, including flight crew members, while Erdoğan thanked him for his support and condolences, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.

No further details are available about the possible cause of the crash.

Video footage seen by Anewz purported to be of the cargo plane crash, and broadcast by Turkish local media appeared to show a plane spiraling downward, leaving a trail of smoke behind until it went down.

What sort of aircraft is the C-130E Hercules plane? 

The C-130E Hercules is a four-engine, turboprop-powered, tactical airlift aircraft capable of operating from austere airfields. 

The aircraft primarily performs the tactical portion of an airlift mission. It is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for air dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.

The American Air Mobility Command Museum says that the aircraft is favoured by more than 40 countries worldwide including the United States. 

Although it typically operates with a crew of five people including two pilots, the number of casualties in Tuesday's crash were twenty according to Turkish authorities. 

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