ALWAGHT- The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry extended condolences to the Libyan government and people after a plane crash in Turkey killed the Libyan army chief of staff and several members of his accompanying delegation.
On Wednesday, Esmaeil Baghaei conveyed Iran’s condolences to the Libyan government and people, expressing sympathy for the families of the victims and survivors.
A private Dassault Falcon 50 carrying Libya’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, crashed near Ankara shortly after takeoff, killing all eight people on board, including four senior Libyan military officials and three crew members. Initial reports suggest the aircraft experienced an electrical malfunction and attempted to return to the airport before losing contact with air traffic control. Turkish authorities have recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders for investigation.
The delegation had been in Ankara for high-level defense talks with Turkish officials to strengthen military cooperation, following Turkey’s recent extension of its military deployment mandate in Libya and ongoing collaboration with Libya’s internationally recognized government.
Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah called the crash a “tragic accident” and declared three days of national mourning. Turkish authorities, including the Interior Ministry and prosecutors, are leading a comprehensive investigation, with over 400 personnel involved. While initial findings point to a technical failure, the investigation continues, and analysis of the black boxes is expected to clarify the cause.
