Tragic Crash Claims All 20 Lives Aboard Turkish C-130
In a devastating aviation disaster, all 20 personnel aboard a Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane perished when the aircraft crashed in Georgia on November 11, 2025. The military transport, which had taken off from Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan, was en route to Erkilet International Airport in Kayseri, Turkey when it experienced a catastrophic mid-air breakup over Georgia's Sighnaghi municipality.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The aircraft, identified as C-130E 68-01609, was a 57-year-old Hercules that had previously served with the Royal Saudi Air Force before being transferred to Turkey in 2010. According to aviation tracking data, the plane reached an altitude of approximately 24,000 feet before disappearing from radar without issuing any distress signal. 'This is one of the most tragic military aviation incidents we've seen in recent years,' stated aviation safety expert Dr. Michael Reynolds in an interview with The Aviationist.
Eyewitness videos circulating online show the aircraft breaking apart in flight, with wings and fuselage sections spiraling toward the ground. The crash occurred just five kilometers from the Azerbaijan border, prompting immediate response from Georgian and Azerbaijani emergency services.
International Response and Investigation
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the tragic incident, expressing condolences for what he called the 'martyrs' of the crash. The Turkish Ministry of Defense has launched a comprehensive investigation under the charge of 'Violation of flight safety regulations or rules for the operation of an air vehicle resulting in human casualties.'
Georgian authorities arrived at the crash scene around 5:00 p.m. local time, coordinating search and rescue efforts with their Azerbaijani counterparts. 'We are working closely with Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities to determine the cause of this tragedy,' said Georgian aviation official Nino Kapanadze in a statement to media outlets.
Safety Concerns for Aging Military Aircraft
The crash has raised serious questions about the safety of aging military aircraft, particularly the C-130 Hercules fleet. Despite the aircraft's reputation for reliability with over 5 million global flight hours, this incident marks a rare structural failure for the venerable transport plane. 'The C-130 has been the workhorse of military transport for decades, but incidents like this remind us that even the most reliable aircraft have operational limits,' noted military aviation analyst Sarah Chen in her assessment for Aero News Journal.
The investigation will focus on potential structural issues, propeller disintegration, or other mechanical failures that could have caused the mid-air breakup. The aircraft's age and maintenance history will be key factors in determining the cause of this tragic accident that has claimed 20 lives and left the international aviation community searching for answers.