ANKARA, Turkey, Dec 24 — Libya’s top military commander and seven others were killed when a private jet crashed after taking off from Turkey’s capital, Ankara, Libyan and Turkish officials said Tuesday, adding that a technical malfunction appeared to have caused the accident.
The aircraft, a Falcon 50 business jet, was carrying Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, four other senior military officers and three crew members when it went down en route to Libya after departing Ankara’s Esenboga Airport.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths in a Facebook statement, calling the crash a “tragic accident” and a “great loss” for the country.
“The delegation was returning home after official meetings when the accident occurred,” Dbeibah said.
Turkish officials said air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane shortly after takeoff. The wreckage was later found near Kesikkavak village in Haymana, about 70 kilometers south of Ankara.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the jet took off at 8:30 p.m. and contact was lost roughly 40 minutes later. “The aircraft issued an emergency landing signal near Haymana before all communication ceased,” he said.
Burhanettin Duran, head of Turkey’s presidential communications office, said the crew reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing. “The plane was redirected back to Esenboga, but it disappeared from radar while descending,” he said.
Security camera footage aired by Turkish media showed the night sky briefly illuminated by what appeared to be an explosion.
The Libyan delegation had been in Ankara for high-level defense talks aimed at strengthening military cooperation. During the visit, al-Haddad met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler.
Turkey’s Justice Ministry said four prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the crash. Libya said it would send a team to Ankara to assist in the inquiry.
