Turkish Air Force C-130 Crashes on Georgia–Azerbaijan Border After Mid-Air Disintegration

Photo Source: NST

A Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft has crashed after reportedly breaking apart in mid-air over Georgia, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Tuesday.

Lockheed C-130E Hercules (Registration 68-01609) - Copyright MILSPOT

The aircraft, registered 68-01609, had departed Azerbaijan earlier in the day and was en route to Türkiye when contact was lost near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border region.

“Our C-130 military transport aircraft, which took off from Azerbaijan en route to Türkiye, has crashed on the Georgia–Azerbaijan border. Search and rescue operations have already begun in coordination with the relevant authorities of Azerbaijan and Georgia.”

Emergency response teams from both Azerbaijan and Georgia, along with Turkish military personnel, were quickly dispatched to the site. Authorities are currently assessing the situation and working to locate potential survivors.

At this time, there has been no official confirmation regarding the number of crew members or passengers on board, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the mid-air disintegration that led to the crash.