Libya: Army chief, 7 others killed in a private aircraft crash in Turkiye
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: At least eight people, including the Libyan army chief, were reported killed in a private plane crash near Turkiye on Wednesday, the media reported.
Libya’s internationally recognised government said the dead included the African country’s army chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, four members of his entourage, and three crew members.
Officials said the jet was leased and registered in Malta, adding that its ownership and technical history would be examined as part of the investigation.
A private jet carrying the Libyan army chief and others reported an electrical failure and requested an emergency landing shortly before crashing near Ankara, Turkiye’s head of communications said.
The Dassault Falcon 50 jet took off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 1717 GMT on Tuesday (December 23) en route to Tripoli. At 1733 GMT it informed air traffic control (ATC) of an emergency caused by an electrical malfunction, Burhanettin Duran said in a statement.
Air traffic control redirected the aircraft back toward Esenboga Airport and emergency measures were initiated, but the jet disappeared from radar at 1736 GMT while descending for landing and contact was lost, he said.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya earlier said the aircraft requested an emergency landing while flying over Ankara’s Haymana district, adding that the wreckage was later found near Kesikkavak village in the area.
Search and rescue teams reached the crash site after operations were launched by Turkey’s Interior Ministry and investigations into the cause of the crash were continuing with the involvement of all relevant authorities, Duran said.
