Azerbaijani Defence Minister offers condolences to Türkiye over F-16 crash

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has expressed his condolences to his Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler, following the tragic death of a Turkish serviceman in an F-16 fighter jet crash.

In his letter, Colonel General Hasanov stated: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of a serviceman as a result of the crash of F-16 fighter aircraft belonging to the Republic of Türkiye. I pray to Almighty Allah for the repose of the soul of deceased serviceman and extend my deepest condolences to his family. May Allah rest his soul in peace.”

The tragedy comes as a Turkish F-16 fighter jet, assigned to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balıkesir, crashed during a routine training mission in north-western Türkiye. The aircraft took off shortly before 00:50 local time and lost contact within minutes, with wreckage later found near the Karesi district along the Istanbul–Izmir motorway.

Turkish authorities, including the Ministry of National Defence, Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu, and the Interior and Justice Ministries, have confirmed the pilot’s death and launched investigations into the crash. Emergency and rescue teams were immediately deployed, and a formal inquiry has been initiated by the Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to determine the cause of the accident.

By Vugar Khalilov