- Libya’s army chief Mohammed al-Haddad died in a plane crash in Turkey
- Jet lost contact shortly after taking off from Ankara
- Aircraft requested emergency landing due to technical failure
- Turkish authorities launch full investigation into crash
Libya’s army chief of general staff, Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Haddad, has died after a military jet crashed in Turkey shortly after taking off from Ankara, Turkish and Libyan officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The fatal crash occurred late Tuesday when a Falcon 50 business jet carrying Haddad and seven others lost contact with air traffic control after departing Ankara’s Esenboga Airport.
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Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the wreckage was later found in the Haymana district, about 74 kilometres from Ankara. All eight people on board, including three crew members, were confirmed dead.
Libya’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah announced the death in a statement shared on social media.
“It is with deep sadness and great sorrow that we learnt of the death of the Libyan army’s chief of general staff, Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Haddad,” Dbeibah said.
Officials revealed that Haddad had earlier held meetings in Ankara with Turkey’s Defence Minister Yasar Guler and other senior officials before heading back to Tripoli.
According to Turkish authorities, the jet took off at 5:10 pm GMT, but contact was lost 42 minutes later. The aircraft reportedly issued an emergency landing request due to an electrical failure, but communication could not be restored.
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A senior Turkish official explained that the emergency request was made 16 minutes after takeoff, raising alarm before the aircraft disappeared from radar.
Local resident Burhan Cicek, who witnessed the incident, described the moment of impact.
“I heard a big sound of explosion. It was like a bomb,” he told reporters.
Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the crash.
Libyan officials said they were immediately notified by Turkish authorities and are awaiting the final findings of the investigation.
The victims included Haddad’s adviser Mohammed Al-Assawi, senior military officers Major General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil and Major General Mohammed Jumaa, as well as an escort officer.
Haddad had served as Libya’s army chief since August 2020, following his appointment by former Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
Libya remains politically divided between the UN-backed government in Tripoli and rival forces in the east, years after the 2011 uprising that ended the rule of Muammar Gaddafi.
Turkey maintains close military and diplomatic ties with Tripoli, while also engaging eastern Libyan leaders in recent months.
