A high-level Libyan military mission to Turkey ended in tragedy after a plane carrying the country’s army chief crashed shortly after take-off from Ankara, killing all on board.
Libya’s prime minister confirmed that Gen Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, the army chief of staff, was among the victims of the air accident involving a Falcon 50 jet that was en route to Tripoli on Tuesday evening. Four senior Libyan military officials and three crew members also died.
According to Turkish authorities, contact with the business jet was lost at 20:52 local time, roughly 40 minutes after departure from Ankara’s airport. Before disappearing from radar, the aircraft had issued a request for an emergency landing, raising early concerns about a possible technical failure.
Search teams later located the wreckage in a rural area southwest of the Turkish capital, near Kesikkavak village in Haymana district. Turkey’s interior minister said the plane’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder had been recovered, while emergency responders continue efforts to retrieve the remaining bodies.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh described the deaths as a major blow to the country, praising Gen Haddad and his colleagues for their commitment to national service. He said Libya had lost senior officers who played a key role in rebuilding the country’s armed forces.
The delegation had been in Turkey for official talks aimed at deepening military and security cooperation between the two nations. Turkey has been a central ally of Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Unity, providing training, logistical support, and security assistance since a defence agreement signed in 2019.
Authorities in Turkey have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
