Overview
- The fighter departed Balıkesir air base at 00:56 local time and lost radio and radar contact minutes after takeoff.
- Wreckage was found in Balıkesir province near the Izmir–Istanbul highway, where debris was scattered and traffic was briefly halted.
- The pilot, identified as Cmdr. Ibrahim Bolat, was confirmed dead by the Defense Ministry, which extended condolences and called him a martyr.
- Prosecutors and a specialized aeronautical accident-examination team are collecting debris and evidence at the site, with no cause released so far.
- Outlets note other recent military aviation losses, including F-16 incidents in Taiwan and Poland and a Turkish C-130 crash in Georgia in November.