The Libyan delegation was in Ankara for high-level protection talks geared toward boosting navy cooperation between the 2 international locations, Turkish officers stated.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the dying of Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and the 4 officers, saying in a press release on Fb that the “tragic accident” occurred because the delegation was returning residence. The prime minister referred to as it a “nice loss” for Libya.
Al-Hadad was the highest navy commander in western Libya and performed an important function within the ongoing, U.N.-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s navy, which has cut up, very like Libya’s establishments.
The 4 different officers who died within the crash have been Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, the top of Libya’s floor forces, Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, who led the navy manufacturing authority, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, advisor to the chief of workers, and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a navy photographer with the chief of workers’s workplace.
The identities of the three crew members weren’t instantly recognized.
Turkish officers stated the wreckage of the Falcon 50 kind enterprise jet had been discovered close to the village of Kesikkavak, in Haymana, a district some 70 kilometers (about 43.5 miles) south of Ankara.Earlier on Tuesday night, Turkey’s air visitors controllers stated they misplaced contact with the aircraft, which was en route again to Libya, after takeoff from Ankara’s Esenboga airport.
Turkish Inside Minister Ali Yerlikaya, stated in a social media put up that the aircraft took off at 8:30 p.m. and that contact was misplaced 40 minutes later. The aircraft issued an emergency touchdown sign close to Haymana earlier than all communication ceased, Yerlikaya stated.
Burhanettin Duran, the top of Turkish presidential communications workplace, stated the aircraft notified air visitors management of {an electrical} fault and requested an emergency touchdown. The plane was redirected again to Esenboga the place preparations for its touchdown started.
The aircraft nonetheless, disappeared from the radar whereas descending for the emergency touchdown, Duran stated.
Safety digicam footage aired on native tv stations confirmed the night time sky over Haymana abruptly lit up by what seemed to be an explosion.
Whereas in Ankara, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Protection Minister Yasar Guler and different officers.
The airport in Ankara was quickly closed and several other flights have been diverted to different places. Turkey’s Justice Ministry stated 4 prosecutors have been assigned to analyze the crash, as is widespread in such incidents.
In keeping with a authorities assertion on Fb, Libya will ship a crew to Ankara to work with Turkish authorities on investigating the crash.
Libya plunged into chaos after the nation’s 2011 rebellion toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The nation cut up, with rival administrations primarily based within the east and west, backed by an array of rogue militias and overseas governments.
Turkey has been allied with Libya’s authorities within the west, however has lately taken steps to enhance ties with the eastern-based authorities as nicely.
Tuesday’s go to by the Libyan delegation got here a day after Turkey’s parliament authorised to increase the mandate of Turkish troops serving in Libya for 2 years. Turkey deployed troops following a 2019 safety and navy cooperation settlement that was reached between Ankara and the Tripoli-based authorities.
