A Turkish military transport C-130 aircraft, with at least 20 people on board, crashed today, Tuesday 11/11, near the border between Azerbaijan and Georgia.
According to a statement from the Turkish Ministry of Defense, the aircraft had taken off from Azerbaijan and was headed to Turkey.
Search and rescue operations have been launched in coordination with Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities, the ministry said.
The statement did not mention whether there were any casualties, nor the causes of the plane crash.
The ministry also asked the media not to publish any images from the crash.
Local media reported, without giving numbers, that Turks and Azerbaijanis were on board the aircraft.
See video and images from the crash of the transport aircraft
PHOTOS: More visuals emerge from the crash site of the Turkish C-130 military transport plane in Georgia
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) November 11, 2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that the number of victims from the plane crash will be as low as possible.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post that he spoke with his Georgian counterpart, Gela Gelande, who is on his way to the crash site.
The Georgian Interior Ministry said the crash occurred in the Sighnaghi region of eastern Georgia, about five kilometers from the border.
An investigation has been launched, the ministry added in a statement, promising that detailed information about the incident would be provided later.
The characteristics of the aircraft
The US company Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the C-130 Hercules, which is widely used by air forces around the world, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The C-130 Hercules is a cargo, troop, and equipment transport aircraft. It is described as a four-engine, turboprop military transport aircraft that can use unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings.
Its versatile craft allows it to be used for other purposes, such as as a fighter aircraft and for airborne assault and reconnaissance operations. Today it is considered one of the main tactical transport aircraft for many armies.
