Turkish Military Cargo Plane Crashes Near Azerbaijan–Georgia Border

TBILISI — A Turkish military cargo aircraft crashed near the Azerbaijan–Georgia border on Tuesday, leaving uncertainty over the fate of the roughly 20 personnel on board. The Turkish Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident in an official statement, noting that communication with the plane was lost shortly after it entered Georgian airspace (12/11/2025).

“The aircraft was on a logistics mission between Turkey and Azerbaijan when contact was abruptly lost,” the ministry said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. Georgian emergency services were immediately deployed to the crash site in Sighnaghi Municipality, a mountainous area near the border.

According to Reuters, local authorities reported that no distress signal was transmitted before the plane disappeared from radar. “We are cooperating closely with Turkish defense officials to determine the cause of the crash,” said a spokesperson for Georgia’s Interior Ministry.

The aircraft was reportedly part of Turkey’s ongoing logistical operations in support of its regional military cooperation with Azerbaijan. Witnesses in nearby villages told BBC News that they heard “a loud explosion followed by a plume of smoke” in the area shortly after noon local time.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the crash may have been caused by a technical malfunction or navigational issue, though officials have not ruled out other factors. “It is too early to draw conclusions. A joint Turkish–Georgian investigation team is now on the ground collecting evidence,” said the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority in a statement.

Analysts note that incidents involving military transport aircraft are rare but carry significant geopolitical implications, especially given the close defense partnership between Ankara and Baku.

“This crash comes at a time when Turkey and Azerbaijan have been deepening military coordination in the South Caucasus any disruption could have strategic resonance in the region,” said Dr. Marina Kurtanidze, a security analyst at Tbilisi State University, to The Guardian.

As of late Tuesday, rescue teams were still searching for survivors, while both governments have pledged full transparency in the investigation. Further updates are expected once black box data is recovered and analyzed by aviation authorities.