Airspace over was closed Tuesday night after a business jet with Libya’s top military commander aboard crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, leading to flight diversions, an emergency security response, and an ongoing investigation in a NATO member state.
The Falcon 50 business jet was transporting Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s armed forces Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and four other people when it disappeared about 30 minutes after leaving Esenboga International Airport, per Turkish officials quoted by Al-Monitor. Libyan and Turkish authorities later confirmed Al-Haddad’s death.
The temporary closure of airspace above Ankara raised the incident above a standard aviation accident. Such actions are normally reserved for cases involving outstanding security risks or the necessity to protect the nation’s capital while officials evaluate potential subsequent threats.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that contact with the plane was lost at 8:52 p.m. local time after it sent an emergency landing alert near Haymana, about 75 kilometers south of the capital. The aircraft, with tail number 9H-DFJ, had departed at 8:10 p.m. heading for Tripoli.
After contact was lost, Turkish authorities shut Ankara’s airspace as a precaution and rerouted several commercial flights from Esenboga Airport, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV and flight tracking data referenced by TRT. Search and rescue units were sent to the likely crash site.
The crash occurred just hours after Al-Haddad finished an official visit to Ankara. Turkey’s Defense Ministry previously announced that the Libyan army chief had met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and other senior commanders as part of ongoing between Turkey and Libya, per TRT.
Türkiye Today reported that the visit highlighted strengthening defense relations between Ankara and Libya’s Tripoli-based government, increasing the sensitivity of the incident given the high rank of those on the aircraft and the timing right after top-level meetings.
The prime minister of , Abdulhamid Dbeibah, stated he had received word of the death of Libya’s army chief of staff after Al-Haddad’s plane lost radio contact above Turkey’s Ankara, .
Dbeibah, who expressed mourning for Al-Haddad’s death, added that the army chief had been traveling with others on the aircraft, including military officials. No further details about the other passengers’ identities or status were immediately disclosed.
Turkish officials have not yet publicly specified the cause of the crash. No official statements have suggested sabotage or hostile fire, and any determinations beyond a reported in-flight emergency await verification.
were continuing, and Turkish authorities stated that additional information would be provided as it becomes confirmed.