Azerbaijan ready to assist Georgia after Turkish military plane crash, minister says

Following the crash of a Turkish Air Force military transport aircraft in Georgian territory, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Emergency Situations, Colonel-General Kamaladdin Heydarov, spoke with Georgia’s Interior Minister Gela Geladze to discuss the ongoing situation.

Minister Heydarov confirmed that, under the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s emergency services are fully prepared to join search and rescue operations and provide other necessary support, Caliber.Az reports via the Azerbaijani Emergencies Ministry.

Minister Geladze expressed gratitude and stated that Azerbaijani rescue teams stationed near the border would be deployed if needed. Officials noted that coordination between the two countries’ agencies continues as rescue efforts progress.

The Turkish C-130 military transport aircraft crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border while flying from Azerbaijan to Türkiye. The crash occurred in the Signagi area, approximately five kilometres from the Georgian border. The aircraft was carrying 20 Turkish Armed Forces personnel, according to the Turkish Ministry of National Defense.

Search and rescue operations have been launched, coordinated between Turkish, Georgian, and Azerbaijani authorities. Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has also opened an investigation into potential violations of aviation safety or operational protocols that may have contributed to the crash.

By Vugar Khalilov