Türkiye widens investigation into jet crash that killed Libya’s military chief

ANKARA

Prosecutors in the Turkish capital Ankara have expanded their investigation into the Dec. 23 plane crash that killed the Libyan army chief of staff and seven others, sources and officials said on Dec. 25.

The investigation is being coordinated by a deputy chief public prosecutor together with four other prosecutors.

The Falcon 50 business jet crashed shortly after taking off from Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport on a flight to Libya’s Tripoli.

The wreckage was discovered around 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) south of the village of Kesikkavak, in the Haymana district of Ankara province.

The crash site has been sealed off and placed under strict security protection as part of the investigation.

All debris from the aircraft — including the flight data recorder, regarded as the most vital piece of evidence — has been secured.

Autopsies and toxicology examinations are being conducted to determine the precise causes of death of those on board. The procedures are ongoing at the Ankara Forensic Medicine Institute Group Directorate.

Investigators are also examining in detail the pilots’ condition leading up to the flight, the sources told Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency.

Every possible factor is being assessed — including the crew’s sleep schedule, meals, any alcohol or medication consumption and their psychological state, the agency said.

The prosecutor’s office additionally requested expert technical reports to establish whether the aircraft was airworthy at the time of departure.

The roles and potential liability of the personnel who last serviced the aircraft are also under close examination.

As part of the probe, airport surveillance footage has been seized and all communications between the control tower and the aircraft have been added to the case file.

Technical inspections will also determine whether spare parts installed during maintenance met required safety standards.

At the same time, fuel samples were taken from both the tanker and the wreckage in order to rule out fuel contamination or the use of the wrong fuel type.

Authorities also requested local weather reports for the period when the crash occurred.

Officials noted that if the investigation concludes that a structural defect or design problem caused the crash, the chain of responsibility will be widened accordingly.

The black box from the private jet will be analyzed in a neutral country, the Turkish transportation minister said on Dec. 24.

The private jet carrying Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, four other officers and three crew members crashed in Türkiye on Dec. 23 after taking off from the capital, Ankara, killing everyone on board.

The jet took off from the airport at 8:30 p.m. and contact was lost some 40 minutes later.

The plane notified air traffic control of an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing. The aircraft was redirected back to Esenboğa, where preparations for its landing began.

The plane, however, disappeared from the radar while descending for the emergency landing.