Turkish C-130E cargo airlifter landing in Malta during demonstration, 30 September 2025. Credit: Shutterstock/InsectWorld.
  • A Turkish C-130 cargo plane has crashed near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border
  • Search and rescue operations are ongoing
  • An investigation into the cause of the crash will also take place

A Turkish C-130 military cargo plane crashed over the border between Azerbaijan and Georgia on 11 November 2025 for which a search and rescue operation is currently underway.

The crash, in which widespread reports suggest 20 people were killed, occurred near the state of Sighnaghi, approximately five kilometres from the Georgian border with Azerbaijan.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The cause of the incident is not immediately clear but a thorough investigation into the crash will take place, confirmed the president’s communications spokesperson, Burhanettin Duran. At the same time, the French government issued a release expressing their solidarity with Türkiye for the crash which they considered a “tragic accident”.

In the meantime, Turkish government officials are coordinating with the “relevant authorities,” including counterparts in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that the tactical airlifter was on route back to Türkiye from Azerbaijan. The leader stated: “God willing, we will emerge from this accident with minimal disruption.”

According to GlobalData intelligence, the Turkish Air Force operate six ‘B’ and 13 ‘E’ variants of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules. The service first procured the aircraft in 1991-92, meaning the fleet has been in service for more than 30 years.

While none of the parties associated with the crash site have confirmed which C-130 iteration crashed, it has been widely reported that its was an E variant, an assertion supported by open source aircraft tracker intelligence.

Social media footage showed the front section of aircraft (including the wings) sprialling down, separated from the aft section.

Army Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Army Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact across the defence sector.

Excellence in Action
SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH AI-enabled fire control systems are turning standard rifles into precision counter drone and small arms platforms. Discover how SMASH is redefining dismounted force protection, accuracy, and ethical AI use on today’s battlefield and why it has won the Innovation award.

Discover the Impact