Black Boxes Recovered After Neo-Colonial Puppet Libyan Army Chief Plane Crash Near Ankara

By Al Mayadeen English

24 Dec 2025 21:25

Turkey says black boxes were recovered after a jet carrying Libya’s army chief reported an electrical failure and crashed near Ankara.

Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran said on Wednesday that a private jet carrying Libya’s army chief of staff and seven others reported an electrical malfunction and requested an emergency landing shortly before losing contact and crashing near Ankara.

In a statement, Duran said the aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 50, departed Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport at 1717 GMT on Tuesday, bound for Tripoli. At 1733 GMT, the crew informed air traffic control of an emergency caused by an electrical failure.

On another note, the black box from the plane in a neutral third country, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced on Wednesday.

The minister confirmed that both the flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) have been recovered.

“Work has begun on a preliminary report. After an initial inspection, the FDR and CVR recorders will be analyzed in a neutral country to determine the cause of the plane crash,” Uraloglu wrote on X.

Authorities have not yet released further details about the crash or the condition of those on board.

Libya’s internationally recognised government said those killed included army chief of staff Mohamed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, along with the chief of staff of the ground forces, the head of the military manufacturing authority, an adviser to the army chief of staff, and a photographer from the army chief’s media office.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh said in a statement on Tuesday: "With profound sorrow and grief, we received the news of the death of the Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army, Lieutenant General Mohamed Haddad, and his companions... This grave loss is a major blow to the nation, the military institution, and all the people."

Turkish officials said three additional victims were crew members.

During landing

Duran said air traffic control redirected the aircraft back toward Esenboğa Airport and emergency procedures were initiated, but the plane disappeared from radar at 1736 GMT during its descent and communication was lost.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters at the crash site near Ankara’s Haymana district: "The cockpit voice recorder was found at 0245 and the flight data recorder at 0320. Examination and analysis of the two recorders has begun."

He said earlier that the aircraft had requested an emergency landing while flying over Haymana, adding that the wreckage was later found near the village of Kesik Kavak.

Duran said investigations into the cause of the crash are continuing with the participation of all relevant authorities.

Libyan officials said the aircraft was chartered and registered in Malta, adding that information, including ownership, previous technical issues, and specifications, will be examined as part of the investigation.

Libyan army chief killed in plane crash

Libyan Army Chief of Staff Mohammed al-Haddad was among the passengers on board a private jet that disappeared shortly after taking off from Ankara on Tuesday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh later announced that al-Haddad had been killed, officially mourning the military leader. 

In a statement posted on X, Yerlikaya said contact was lost at 20:52 local time with a Falcon 50 aircraft, registration number 9H-DFJ, which had departed Esenboga Airport at 20:10. The aircraft reportedly sent an emergency landing signal near the Haymana district in Ankara province before communications were cut. Yerlikaya confirmed that five people were on board, including al-Haddad.

Meanwhile, eyewitnesses reported hearing a powerful explosion near Esenboga Airport around the time contact was lost with the aircraft, according to IHA. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the incident, and search and rescue efforts are understood to be underway.

Four others were on the jet, he added, while flight tracking data showed other flights being diverted away from Ankara's Esenboga Airport.