Turkey bids farewell to its martyrs: Ceremony held in Ankara

The first ceremony for our 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the C-130 type military cargo plane that crashed on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border was held at Mürted Air Base.

A ceremony was held after the remains of our martyrs were brought to Mürted Air Base. During the ceremony, the names of the martyrs were read out one by one, and information about them was provided. In his speech, the commander emphasized that the martyrs would live on in the hearts of the Turkish nation, stating, "Our dear martyrs, like the thousands of martyrs we have given for the indivisible integrity of our homeland and nation, are being entrusted to the bosom of the motherland today."

CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THE MARTYRS

At the ceremony, condolences were offered to the families of the martyrs, with the words, "Your pain is great. Your pain is the pain of us all. We are aware that keeping their cherished memories alive is a duty and a debt of honor for us." The commander told the families of the martyrs: "As a relative of a martyr, you will always live in this country with honor, pride, your heads held high, and your hearts full of love and hope."

Following the speech, prayers were recited for the martyrs. At the end of the prayers, the remains of the martyrs were sent off to their hometowns with a military ceremony.

STATEMENTS FROM THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE REGARDING THE AIRCRAFT

The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) responded to some questions from the public regarding the crashed aircraft. The Ministry announced that flights of C-130 type aircraft have been completely suspended. The Ministry answered the frequently asked questions about the aircraft as follows:

Was there ammunition on the plane?

There were only personnel and aircraft maintenance materials on the plane. There was no ammunition.

What is the cause of the plane crash?

It was stated that it is too early to make a clear statement on this matter. The cause of the incident will be clarified after the accident investigation is completed.

Was a helicopter detected in the radar records?

After the plane crashed, a helicopter belonging to Georgia, which was trying to establish contact with the plane, went to the region.

Was the plane decommissioned by Saudi Arabia?

The aircraft in question was purchased from Saudi Arabia on January 21, 2012, entered the inventory in 2014, and was modernized in 2022. Saudi Arabia did not decommission this aircraft; the aircraft was sold as surplus.

Is the crashed plane old, and was it not maintained?

The plane is not old, and its maintenance was carried out regularly. C-130 aircraft are actively used in more than 70 countries worldwide. When the maintenance history of the crashed aircraft is examined, it has been determined that the Erciyes Avionics modernization was applied to the aircraft, its planned maintenance was carried out on time, and its last maintenance was performed between September 11 and October 12, 2025.

Have the black boxes been taken for examination?

The FDR (Flight Data Recorder) and CVDR (Cockpit Voice Data Recorder) devices of the crashed aircraft were brought to our country and examination has begun in Ankara.

Will other C-130 aircraft continue their flights?

The MSB announced that it has suspended the flights of all C-130 aircraft as a precaution as of November 12, 2025. After the technical examinations are completed, flights will resume once safety is ensured.

News Source: 12punto