An F-16 fighter jet belonging to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balıkesir, northwestern Türkiye, crashed shortly after takeoff early Wednesday at 12:56 a.m., resulting in the death of one pilot, officials confirmed.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) group meeting at Parliament, expressed his condolences for Air Force Pilot Maj. Ibrahim Bolat, who was martyred in the incident. He offered prayers for the martyr, extended patience to the bereaved family and relatives, and conveyed his condolences to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the nation.
President Erdoğan added, “The necessary investigations and inquiries have been launched to determine the causes of the accident. May the soul of our martyred pilot rest in peace, and may his place be in Paradise, God willing.”
The incident was also confirmed by Ismail Ustaoğlu, governor of Balıkesir, in a statement shared on his X account. He noted that the aircraft went down during a mission flight and said: “One of our pilots has been martyred. May Allah have mercy on our martyr, and I extend my condolences to his family. My condolences to our great nation.”
The crash occurred in the Naipli area of Karesi district, near the Izmir-Istanbul highway. Following the incident, emergency teams secured the scene and began investigation and recovery operations.
Authorities have not yet disclosed further details regarding the cause of the crash, and an official investigation is ongoing.
