Turkish C-130 Crash: F-16 Maintenance Technicians Killed

A Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft crash has killed 20 servicemen.

The plane’s black box, including the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, has been recovered, FL360aero reported.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, all 20 servicemen on board died. The aircraft had taken off from Azerbaijan and was en route to Turkey.

Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze said 18 deaths have been confirmed so far, and authorities are still searching for the remaining two bodies.

The aircraft was transporting maintenance technicians for Turkish F-16 fighter jets scheduled to participate in a military parade in Azerbaijan, along with spare parts for the planes.

The C-130, part of the Turkish Air Force fleet, was manufactured in 1968 and is now 57 years old.

The aircraft was initially purchased by the Royal Saudi Air Force in 1968 and transferred to Turkey in 2010.