Turkish Air Force Major Killed in F-16 Crash Near Balıkesir
Investigation launched after fighter jet goes down shortly after takeoff from western Turkey
A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Balıkesir in the early hours of Wednesday, killing the pilot, Major İbrahim Bolat, authorities confirmed.
The aircraft departed from the 9th Main Jet Base Command at around 1 am local time. According to Turkey’s National Defence Ministry, radio contact and radar tracking were lost soon after takeoff. Search and rescue teams later located the wreckage near the busy Istanbul–İzmir motorway.
“Our pilot was killed. The cause of the accident will be determined following an investigation by the crash examination team,” the ministry said in a statement, offering condolences to Bolat’s family.
Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu said the jet had been conducting a mission flight when it went down. Debris was scattered across a wide area near the motorway, prompting the temporary closure of the road as emergency services secured the site. Firefighters, medical teams and security forces were deployed to the scene.
A military ceremony honoring Major Bolat was later held at the 9th Main Jet Base. Two F-16 aircraft performed a tribute flypast as his wife and daughter attended the service.
The Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a formal investigation into the crash. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said senior prosecutors travelled to the site to oversee the inquiry.
The incident adds to recent concerns over military aviation safety in the region. In November, Turkey suspended flights of its C-130 cargo aircraft after one crashed in neighboring Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 people on board.
Authorities have not yet indicated whether technical failure, weather conditions or human factors may have contributed to Wednesday’s crash.