Thirteen military personnel died after after a Turkish military helicopter crashed in southeastern Şırnak province after being tangled in high tension power lines shortly after take off late Wednesday, the military said.
The helicopter crashed in Şenoba district near the border with Iraq.
The military statement noted that the AS 532 Cougar-type helicopter carrying 13 personnel got tangled in high tension power lines on Wednesday evening and investigation is still ongoing regarding the accident.
Defense Minister Fikri Işık headed to Şırnak province following the accident.
Şırnak Governorate released a statement regarding the incident, saying that the helicopter got tangled in power lines only three minutes after take off, noting that the accident took place at around 7:40 PM local time.
The image circulating on social media shows the fire that the crashing helicopter caused
Search and rescue units have reportedly been dispatched to the area.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was informed about the accident and conveyed his condolence to Turkish Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, who went to scene, according to presidential sources.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and his wife visited the family of Maj. Gen. Aydoğan Aydın who was killed in the crash.
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu also arrived in Şırnak to examine the scene.
The leaders expressed their sympathies via their social media accounts.
"The sorrow of our heros martyred in the helicopter crashed have torn my heart out. May God rest their souls," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu wrote on his Twitter account.
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş also took it to the social media platform to offer his condolences. "May God rest their soul in peace," he wrote.
Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu conveyed his condolences "to all Turkey" with a tweet.
