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Airspace over Turkey’s capital was shut down Tuesday night after a business jet carrying Libya’s top military commander crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, prompting flight diversions, an emergency security response, and an ongoing investigation in a NATO member state.
The Falcon 50 business jet was carrying Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s armed forces Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and four others when it lost contact roughly 30 minutes after departing Esenboga International Airport, according to Turkish officials cited by Al-Monitor. Libyan and Turkish authorities have since confirmed Al-Haddad’s death.
The temporary shutdown of airspace over Ankara elevated the incident beyond a routine aviation accident. Such measures are typically reserved for situations involving unresolved security risks or the need to secure the nation’s capital while authorities assess potential follow-on threats.
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Libya’s army chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, shaking hands with Turkish chief of general staff, Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. Turkish Defense Ministry via Reuters (Reuters)
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said contact with the aircraft was lost at 8:52 p.m. local time after it transmitted an emergency landing notification near Haymana, approximately 75 kilometers south of the capital. The jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, had taken off at 8:10 p.m. bound for Tripoli.
Following the loss of contact, Turkish authorities closed Ankara’s airspace as a precaution and diverted multiple commercial flights away from Esenboga Airport, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV and flight tracking data cited by TRT. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the suspected crash area.
The crash came just hours after Al-Haddad concluded an official visit to Ankara. Turkey’s Defense Ministry had earlier announced that the Libyan army chief met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and other senior commanders as part of ongoing military and security coordination between Turkey and Libya, according to TRT.
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Falcon 50 sent emergency signal after takeoff from Ankara; search underway near Haymana, Turkey. Photo: Anadolu Agency Video via Reuters. (Anadolu Agency Video via Reuters)
Türkiye Today reported that the visit underscored deepening defense ties between Ankara and Libya’s Tripoli-based government, adding sensitivity to the incident given the seniority of those aboard the aircraft and the timing immediately following high-level meetings.
The prime minister of Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, said he had received news of the death of Libya’s army chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, after Haddad’s plane lost radio contact above Turkey’s Ankara, Reuters reported.
Dbeibah, who said he was mourning Al-Haddad’s death, added that the army chief had been accompanied by others on board the aircraft, including military officials. No additional details about the other passengers’ identities or conditions were immediately released.
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Ankara Airport, Turkey, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo)
Turkish officials have not yet publicly detailed the cause of the crash. No official statements have indicated sabotage or hostile fire, and any conclusions beyond a reported in-flight emergency remain pending verification.
Search and recovery efforts were continuing, and Turkish authorities said further information would be released as it is confirmed.