Turkish Fighter Jet Crashes, Pilot Killed

Istanbul (Web Desk): A Turkish fighter jet crashed shortly after takeoff early Wednesday, killing the pilot, according to state media citing the Defence Ministry.

The F-16 jet took off from Balikesir at 12:56 am local time (2156 GMT Tuesday), but radio contact and tracking were lost soon after departure. A search and rescue operation was launched, and the wreckage of the aircraft was later located.

“Our pilot was martyred. The cause of the accident will be determined following an investigation by the crash examination team,” the ministry said, offering condolences to the pilot’s family.

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This incident follows a series of recent F-16 crashes worldwide. In November, Turkiye suspended flights by its C-130 cargo planes after one crashed in Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 aboard. Other F-16 accidents have been reported in Taiwan and Poland in recent months, highlighting ongoing safety concerns with the aircraft model.