A private aircraft carrying Libyan military leaders crashed in Turkey — all eight people died, including the commander-in-chief of western Libya's armed forces General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad. The aircraft disappeared from radar during an attempted emergency landing due to technical malfunction.

Circumstances of the Crash

The private Falcon 50 aircraft took off from Ankara's Esenboga airport on December 24 at 20:30 local time, heading to Tripoli. Forty minutes after takeoff, the crew reported an electrical malfunction to controllers and requested permission for an emergency landing.

The aircraft was redirected back to Esenboga airport, where preparations began for its reception. However, during descent, the aircraft disappeared from radar. Debris was found near Kesikkavak village in Haymana district, approximately 70 kilometers south of Ankara.

Crash Victims

Among the deceased are five high-ranking Libyan military officials:

  • General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad — Chief of General Staff of Libya's Armed Forces
  • General Al-Fituri Grayibil — Land Forces Commander
  • Brigadier General Mahmoud al-Katawi — Head of Military Production Department
  • Mohammed al-Asawi Diab — Advisor to the Chief of General Staff
  • Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub — Military photographer

The names of the three crew members have not been disclosed yet.

Investigation and Consequences

Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that debris is scattered over an area of more than three square kilometers, complicating search operations. On Wednesday, rescuers found the aircraft's flight recorders — the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.

The investigation involves 408 rescuers and four prosecutors. A 22-member delegation from Libya arrived, including five relatives of the deceased, to assist in the investigation and body identification.

Political Context

The Libyan delegation was in Ankara on an official visit for negotiations on strengthening military cooperation between the two countries. General al-Haddad played a key role in UN efforts to unite Libya's divided army.

Libya's Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeiba called the crash a "tragic accident" and a "great loss" for the country. Libya's government declared three days of mourning, with flags at government institutions lowered to half-mast.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed condolences to Libyan leadership and instructed relevant ministries to provide information about the investigation's progress.