A tragic incident unfolded when a Turkish military cargo plane, a C-130 Hercules, crashed in Georgia on Tuesday, with 20 people on board. The aircraft reportedly took off from Azerbaijan and was en route to Turkey when it went down near the Azerbaijani border, specifically in the Sighnaghi municipality of Georgia. While the exact number of casualties has yet to be confirmed, the Turkish defense ministry acknowledged that search and rescue operations are currently in progress, coordinated among authorities from Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Local media captured footage that appears to show the plane spiraling downward in a trail of white smoke prior to the crash. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed profound sadness over the incident and offered condolences to the families affected by the tragedy. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev echoed these sentiments, expressing grief over the loss of lives among the servicemen who were aboard the plane. He extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Azerbaijani people to Türkiye and the families of the deceased.

The Georgian interior ministry confirmed that an investigation into the crash has been launched to ascertain the cause of this unfortunate event. The C-130E Hercules is a versatile four-engine turboprop tactical airlifter that serves a critical role within the Turkish military, primarily used for transporting personnel and logistical operations. As the search and rescue efforts continue, both nations remain focused on supporting the affected families and investigating the circumstances surrounding this crash.