A Turkish C-130 military aircraft crashed in Georgia’s Signagi Municipality, approximately five kilometres from the Azerbaijani border, on November 11. The plane was reportedly operating a flight from Azerbaijan to Türkiye when it disappeared from radar shortly after entering Georgian airspace.
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) stated that an investigation has been launched under Article 275, Part 4 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the violation of air transport safety or operational regulations resulting in loss of life. The ministry noted that further information would be shared as the investigation progresses.
Georgia’s air navigation agency, Sakaeronavigatsia, confirmed in an official statement that its Aviation Search and Rescue Coordination Center was alerted about the incident through the national emergency number, 112. “Based on information received from the emergency number 112, the Aviation Search and Rescue Coordination Center of Sakaeronavigatsia LLC was informed that a Turkish military aircraft had experienced an aviation incident on Georgian territory, near the border with Azerbaijan,” the statement reads.
A few minutes after entering Georgian airspace, the aircraft vanished from the radars of the Georgian Civil Aviation Administration without transmitting an alarm signal. Following international aviation protocol, Sakaeronavigatsia’s search and rescue team was immediately dispatched to the presumed crash site to locate the aircraft and assist any potential victims. The airport in Ganja, Azerbaijan, the aircraft’s departure point, and the Turkish authorities were promptly informed of the incident.
Sakaeronavigatsia emphasized that search and rescue operations are being conducted in full compliance with aviation regulations and in coordination with all relevant Georgian agencies. Turkey’s Ministry of Defence later confirmed that one of its military aircraft had crashed on Georgian territory.
