A Turkish Air Force Lockheed C-130E Hercules (reg. 68-01609, callsign TUAF543) crashed this afternoon in eastern Georgia, near the border with Azerbaijan.
The aircraft had taken off from Ganja (Azerbaijan) and was flying west toward Türkiye when it disappeared from radar. According to initial reports, 20 military personnel were on board. Georgian authorities have confirmed that rescue teams are on site, but no survivors have been reported so far.
Footage circulating online shows the aircraft spiralling down trailing smoke before impact. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, though a technical failure appears likely.
The C-130E was one of the oldest transport aircraft in Turkish service, originally delivered in the late 1960s. Both Turkish and Georgian authorities have opened a joint investigation into the incident.
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