Turkish Military Plane Tragedy Near Azerbaijan Border

A Turkish military cargo plane crashed in Georgia near Azerbaijan's border, leaving an unclear number of casualties. The C-130 aircraft had taken off from Azerbaijan and was en route to Turkey. A search and rescue operation is underway, and investigations have started into the cause.

A Turkish military cargo plane crashed in Georgia near the border with Azerbaijan, authorities from both countries confirmed Tuesday.

Footage broadcast on Turkish media showed the C-130 aircraft descending rapidly and trailing white smoke. Originating from Azerbaijan, the plane was en route to Turkey when it went down, according to Turkey's defense ministry.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged the presence of casualties but offered no specifics. Coordinating with Azeri and Georgian authorities, a search and rescue mission is ongoing, with Georgian officials noting the incident's location in the Sighnaghi municipality. Erdogan expressed his condolences, referring to those lost as "martyrs."

(With inputs from agencies.)