Balikesir: A Turkish military pilot was killed on Wednesday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed shortly after take-off during a mission flight, local authorities said. Governor Ismail Ustaoglu confirmed that the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff during a mission flight.
According to Qatar News Agency, Turkish media reported that the crash site was in the Naipli area of Balikesir's Karesi district. As emergency teams worked at the scene, traffic on part of the Istanbul-Izmir highway was temporarily halted to ensure safety and facilitate rescue operations.
In a statement, Turkey's defence ministry announced that a technical investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the accident. The ministry added that search teams were dispatched to the site immediately after contact with the aircraft was lost.
The Turkish Interior Ministry stated it was monitoring the investigation in coordination with relevant authorities to uncover the details surrounding the tragic accident.