A Turkish Air Force F‑16 fighter jet crashed near a highway in western Türkiye early on Feb. 25, killing its pilot, officials and media reports have said.
Contact via radio and radar with the jet was lost after midnight, following its departure from the Balıkesir base, according to a Defense Ministry statement.
The aircraft went down near a section of the Istanbul–İzmir highway, scattering debris across a wide area, daily Hürriyet reported. Security forces, firefighters and medical teams were dispatched to the scene.
"Our pilot was martyred. The cause of the accident will be determined following an investigation by the crash examination team," the ministry said, offering condolences to the pilot's family.
In November, Türkiye suspended flights by its C-130 cargo planes after one crashed in neighboring Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 people aboard.
The victims included crew members and military personnel involved in the maintenance of Turkish F-16 fighter jets deployed to Azerbaijan for Victory Day celebrations.
Other F-16s, manufactured by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, have crashed in recent months.
In January, a Taiwanese F-16 crashed into the sea during a routine mission. Its pilot, who ejected offshore, was reported missing.
In Poland, an F-16 crashed in August while rehearsing for an air show, killing its pilot.
