A Turkish military plane plummeted from the sky early Tuesday, crashing near the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The NATO aircraft, a C-130 cargo plane, reportedly broke apart mid-air before its fiery wreckage slammed into the ground, sending a towering plume of smoke into the sky.
Videos circulating on social media showed what appeared to be the plane spiraling uncontrollably before splitting into two pieces.
Moments later, a massive explosion marked the site where the aircraft fell.
Turkey Confirms the Crash
Turkey’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that the C-130 had taken off from Azerbaijan and was returning to Turkey when disaster struck.
There were 20 personnel on board, though officials have yet to release information about survivors or casualties.
In a brief statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the ministry said that a search and rescue operation was underway “in coordination with Georgian authorities.”
No cause for the crash has yet been determined.
Georgia Opens Investigation
Georgia’s Interior Ministry also released a statement confirming the incident, noting that the aircraft went down roughly five kilometres from the country’s border with Azerbaijan.
Authorities have launched a criminal investigation to determine what led to the tragedy.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide the public with detailed information about the incident in stages,” Georgian officials said.
Parts of the aircraft were later seen scattered across a wide area, with burnt debris dotting the crash zone in Georgia.
Witnesses nearby described hearing a deafening explosion moments after the plane disappeared from the sky.
Confusion and Conflicting Reports
Initial reports mistakenly suggested that a helicopter had gone down.
But it was later confirmed to be a C-130 — one of the most durable and widely used military transport aircraft in the world.
A Russian pro-war Telegram channel claimed the plane may have been torn apart by an internal explosion, though there has been no evidence to support that theory so far.
Both Turkish and Georgian authorities have avoided speculation, saying investigations are ongoing.
Condolences From Ankara
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed sorrow over the loss, offering prayers for “our martyrs” aboard the aircraft and hoping that the number of casualties would remain minimal.
“The entire nation stands with the families of our heroes,” he said in a televised statement.
A Longstanding Military Partnership
The crash comes at a time when Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to deepen their military cooperation.
The two countries routinely hold joint exercises and share close defense ties.
Reports earlier this year indicated that Turkey had reached an agreement to acquire a dozen second-hand C-130J aircraft from the United Kingdom — an upgrade to the same model involved in Tuesday’s crash.
Footage Sparks Global Attention
Footage reportedly showing the plane’s final moments aired on Turkish television network NTV and other outlets.
The video appeared to capture the aircraft spiraling downward, leaving a trail of white smoke before disintegrating in mid-air.
Viewers across the region have been left shaken, with questions mounting about what could have caused such a catastrophic failure in one of the world’s most trusted military planes.
What Comes Next
For now, teams from both Georgia and Turkey are combing through the wreckage, piecing together clues in a joint investigation.
The search for survivors continues amid the devastation.
Officials have promised transparency as they work to determine what happened in those final moments before the C-130’s tragic descent — a tragedy that has sent ripples of grief and uncertainty across two allied nations.