Aircraft carrying Libya’s military leadership crashed in Turkey

A private Falcon 50 aircraft carrying a delegation of the Libyan General Staff crashed shortly after takeoff from Esenboga International Airport in Ankara. The incident occurred during a flight departing from the Turkish capital.

According to preliminary information, shortly after takeoff the crew reported a failure in the aircraft’s electrical power system. The pilots transmitted a distress signal and requested an emergency return to the departure airport. Air traffic control services received the request for an emergency landing and initiated standard escort procedures.

After the distress signal was transmitted, contact with the aircraft was lost. Subsequently, the aircraft stopped responding, after which the crash was confirmed. Official data on the exact crash site and the number of casualties have not yet been published.

Turkish emergency services and aviation authorities have launched search and rescue operations and an investigation into the causes of the incident. Representatives of civil aviation and security agencies have been involved in the response.

The Libyan side has not yet issued an official statement regarding the composition of the delegation or possible casualties. Additional information is expected as data becomes available from Turkish and Libyan official sources.