“The black box of our military cargo plane has been found, and investigations have been launched”
Speaking at AK Party’s provincial heads meeting, President Erdoğan said: “Yesterday, we received extremely heartbreaking news that tremendously saddened the entire 86 million. Our C130 military cargo plane, carrying our troops who were in Azerbaijan for the fifth anniversary commemorations of the Karabakh victory, crashed in the Sighnaghi region near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border shortly after takeoff en route to our country. 20 children of our homeland were unfortunately martyred in the tragic incident. The black box of our military cargo plane has been found, and investigations have been launched.”
President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the party’s provincial heads meeting in Ankara.
“Yesterday, we received extremely heartbreaking news that tremendously saddened the entire 86 million. Our C130 military cargo plane, carrying our troops who were in Azerbaijan for the fifth anniversary commemorations of the Karabakh victory, crashed in the Sighnaghi region near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border shortly after takeoff en route to our country. 20 children of our homeland were unfortunately martyred in the tragic incident. As soon as we took the news of the incident, our ministers of national defense, interior, and foreign affairs got in touch with their counterparts. Search and rescue works were launched immediately. Our UAVs were swiftly mobilized to take footage in cooperation with Georgian authorities. As of 5 p.m. on the same day, we received the news that the wreckage of the aircraft has been recovered. The site of the wreckage was cordoned off for security purposes. 46-strong crash investigation team was dispatched to the region last night,” President Erdoğan said.
Noting that the black box of the plane was found and investigations launched, President Erdoğan went on to say: “The remains of our 19 martyred soldiers have been recovered; and the search for the remains of the last soldier continues. In the meantime, we hold telephone conversations with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgia. We are investigating all aspects of this tragic incident, which deeply saddened both our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters and our Georgian friends along with our nation. Georgian authorities are facilitating this process and cooperating at the highest level. My nation should rest assured that all the means and resources of the Republic of Türkiye as well as of Georgia and Azerbaijan have been mobilized for our heroes.”
