Military plane crash near the Azerbaijan-Georgia border under investigation

A military cargo plane belonging to Turkey crashed in Georgia while traveling from Azerbaijan, as confirmed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The President expressed deep sorrow over the incident and informed that the search and rescue operations are being carried out in cooperation with the authorities. The plane, with 20 individuals on board including the crew, crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. Turkish Defense Ministry stated that search and rescue missions are underway, working together with the Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities. Various Turkish officials including Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Communications Director Burhanettin Duran emphasized the importance of relying on official statements for accurate information and refraining from spreading unverified details. Georgian authorities also actively participated in the search operations, with Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili extending her condolences. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev communicated with Turkish officials to express his condolences and assure mutual cooperation in addressing the incident. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also conversed with Azerbaijani officials, emphasizing solidarity during this difficult time.