Turkey Says Electrical Failure Preceded Crash That Killed Libya’s Army Chief
Turkish authorities confirmed late Tuesday that a private jet carrying Libya’s army chief crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, killing all aboard, with officials later reporting that the aircraft had signaled a technical malfunction before contact was lost, Arab News reports.
The Falcon 50 business jet departed Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport at around 8:10 p.m. local time en route to Tripoli and disappeared from radar roughly 40 minutes later near the rural Haymana district. Security forces located wreckage overnight, and officials said there were no survivors.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the aircraft transmitted an emergency alert prior to the loss of contact. On Wednesday morning, Turkish officials said the crew had reported an electrical failure and requested an emergency landing minutes after takeoff, but communications were cut before the plane could return.
Among those killed was Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, Libya’s chief of general staff, who was traveling with four senior aides. Three crew members were also on board, according to Turkish authorities. Yerlikaya said the bodies remained at the crash site as forensic teams continued their work, adding that a Libyan delegation had arrived in Ankara to assist with coordination.
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Investigators recovered both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder from the wreckage, Yerlikaya said while speaking to reporters at the scene. “The examination and evaluation processes of these devices have been initiated by the relevant authorities,” he said.
Al-Haddad had been in Ankara for meetings with senior Turkish military officials focused on defense cooperation and regional security. He had served as Libya’s army chief since August 2020, following his appointment by then-prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh established a crisis cell to manage coordination following the crash. While Libyan authorities have issued limited public statements, Libyan media reported confirmation of fatalities among senior officers.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Turkish authorities said further updates would be released as technical analysis continues and temporary airspace restrictions around the crash site are lifted.
