Libya’s army chief killed in plane crash in Turkey
Lt. Gen. Mohamed Al-Haddad gives a military salute during a meeting in the eastern city of Benghazi in April 2023.
(CNN) — Libya’s army chief was killed in a plane crash while returning home from an official visit to Turkey on Tuesday, the country’s prime minister said.
Lt. Gen. Mohamed Al-Haddad was killed along with four of his companions in a “tragic accident” while on flight home to Tripoli from an official visit to Ankara, Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah said in a statement.
“With great sadness and sorrow, we have received the news of the death” of Al-Haddad and four of his companions, al-Dbeibah added. The prime minister, who heads a UN-backed Government of National Unity, offered condolences to the families of the victims, calling the loss a tragedy for the nation and the military institution.
Al-Dbeibah identified the four others killed as: Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces Maj. Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghreibel; Director of the Military Manufacturing Authority Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatioui; adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, Mohamed Al-Asawi Diab; and media office photographer Mohamed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub.
Turkish broadcaster CNNTurk reported that the plane had a crew of three, all of whom were French nationals.
Turkish authorities reported earlier that they had lost contact with a business jet carrying Al-Haddad and others shortly after it departed Ankara on Tuesday evening.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said airport authorities lost contact at 8:52 p.m. local time with a Falcon 50 business jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, which had taken off from Ankara Esenboga Airport at 8:10 p.m. en route to Tripoli.
“An emergency landing notification was received from the aircraft near Haymana; however, contact with the aircraft could not be re-established afterward,” Yerlikaya said. Haymana is located about 50 miles (81 kilometers) southwest of Ankara.
In a later statement, Yerlikaya said “the wreckage” of the aircraft has been reached by the Turkish army forces about 2 km south of the Kesikkavak Village in Haymana District.
CNNTurk reported that the jet had declared an electrical emergency and requested to return to the airport before communication was lost.
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation has been launched into the crash, which will look into “all its aspects and with great care.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Turkey’s Armed Forces said Al-Haddad had been formally received in Ankara with a military ceremony as an official guest. He held bilateral talks with Turkish Chief of the General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu following the ceremony.
The-CNN-Wire
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