Georgia’s minister of internal affairs, Geka Geladze, has confirmed that 18 bodies have been recovered from the site of the Turkish military plane crash in the Sighnaghi municipality, while search operations continue for two missing individuals.
Speaking from the crash site, Geladze said that recovery efforts and the ongoing investigation are being carried out in close coordination with Turkish authorities.
“Eighteen dead bodies have been found. Search operations for two people continue. I am in constant contact and coordination with the Turkish minister of internal affairs. We have created an international investigation group, which includes our Turkish colleagues. As you know, this is a military plane, and more detailed information will be provided in stages, in agreement with the Turkish side,” the minister stated.
The Turkish military aircraft crashed on November 11 in the Sighnaghi municipality, around five kilometers from the Georgian–Turkish border. Based on early reports, the plane was flying from Azerbaijan to Turkey when it went down under still undetermined circumstances.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation under Article 275, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns violations of air transport safety or operational rules resulting in loss of life.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the crash, the type of aircraft involved, or the identities of the victims. Georgian and Turkish specialists are jointly working at the site as part of an international investigation team.
