Overview
- The Lockheed C-130E, flying as TUAF543 from Ganja to Türkiye, crashed near Georgia’s border with Azerbaijan shortly after entering Georgian airspace.
- Georgian aviation authorities said contact was lost within minutes of entry and the crew did not issue a distress call.
- Videos show a spiral descent with a white smoke trail; suggestions of an in-flight breakup remain unconfirmed by officials.
- Turkish and Georgian teams secured a debris field across farmland and hills, and Turkish investigators reached the site on Wednesday.
- Leaders in Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia offered condolences as authorities review flight-tracking data and the aircraft’s long service record.