Turkish F-16 Goes Down During Training, Killing Pilot
The aircraft, operated out of the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir, crashed at approximately 1 AM local time after ground controllers lost radio contact with the jet shortly following takeoff. Search-and-rescue teams were immediately mobilized and later recovered the wreckage, confirming the pilot had not survived.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defense identified the deceased as Major Ibrahim Bolat, stating that the cause of the crash remains undetermined pending a formal technical investigation by an official accident assessment team.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu confirmed the aircraft had been on a routine flight at the time of the incident. He offered his condolences to Major Bolat's family, honoring the pilot as a "martyr" who died in service to his country.
Social media footage circulating in the aftermath showed emergency vehicles and first responders converging near the crash site, located close to the Bursa–Izmir highway, where debris was strewn across a wide area as security forces worked to cordon off the scene.
Formal Investigation Launched
Justice Minister Akın Gurlek announced that the Balikesir Public Prosecutor's Office has opened a formal criminal investigation into the incident. Prosecutors and forensic specialists were dispatched to the site to examine the wreckage and collect evidence.
No preliminary conclusions regarding mechanical failure, adverse weather conditions, or pilot error have yet been made public.
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