Plane that crashed in mountainous area found: Bad news from the pilot!

An M20J single-engine plane that took off from Eskişehir crashed on July 2, 2025, in a rural area where the borders of Erzurum, Rize, and Bayburt intersect. The plane, which belonged to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, was carrying pilot Mehmet Demirci and passenger Hicran Kaya.

SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS WERE IN THE FIELD THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT

Following the accident, gendarmerie, AFAD, UMKE, and 112 Emergency Health teams were dispatched to the region. Despite difficult weather and terrain conditions, operations continued throughout the night. Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş announced in a statement made in the morning hours that the wreckage of the plane had been reached.

PILOT LOST HIS LIFE, PASSENGER RESCUED

In the initial examination conducted at the wreckage site, it was determined that pilot Mehmet Demirci had lost his life. Hicran Kaya, who was on the plane, was found injured. After receiving initial intervention from health teams dispatched to the scene, Kaya was transported to the hospital.

GOVERNOR BAYDAŞ: "WRECKAGE REACHED, PASSENGER IS ALIVE"

Rize Governor Baydaş shared the following information in his statement:

“It was determined that the plane, with which contact was lost yesterday afternoon, crashed at the border point of our Bayburt, Erzurum, and Rize provinces. The wreckage, whose location was identified during the night, was reached towards dawn. Unfortunately, our pilot lost his life at the scene. The passenger with him is alive and is currently receiving treatment.”

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED

A technical investigation has been launched under the coordination of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation regarding the cause of the plane crash.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

Efforts to reach the two people inside the plane, which crashed yesterday evening while flying from Sivrihisar to Rize, had continued throughout the night.

Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş had stated, 'Since the initial data indicated the Rize borders, we are in the field with approximately 120 of our personnel and volunteer search and rescue teams. We are scanning the areas where they might be found,' and according to the information received, it had been stated that the two people on the plane were injured.