A Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed onto a busy highway during a training exercise, resulting in the death of the pilot. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft took off from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balıkesir.
According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, the jet disappeared from radar at 12:56 AM local time, and communication with the pilot was lost shortly thereafter. Search and rescue teams were deployed to locate the wreckage, which was found scattered across the area.
The crash site was reported to be near the heavily trafficked İzmir-Istanbul highway, where the impact ignited a significant fire, causing debris to spread over a wide area. Emergency services responded promptly, and the highway has been closed indefinitely to facilitate the investigation and cleanup. There have been no reports of additional casualties.
In response to the incident, Turkey’s Minister of Justice, Bekir Bozdağ, announced that the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Balıkesir has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
This incident follows another aviation tragedy on February 6, when a light aircraft crashed into the ocean off the coast of South Australia, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including the pilot.
A Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight, killing the pilot and igniting a fire on a busy highway. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident.