Libyan chief of staff among dead after jet crash in Turkiye
Shafaq News – Ankara
Libya’s Chief of General Staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, died in the crash of a Libyan-registered private jet in central Turkiye on Tuesday, after the aircraft lost contact shortly after departing Ankara, with all those on board reported killed, Turkish media outlets reported.
The Falcon 50 business jet went down in the Haymana district, south of Ankara, after issuing an emergency landing request while en route from Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport to Tripoli, Turkish authorities said. Communication with the aircraft was lost roughly 40 minutes after takeoff.
Turkish media later cited Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah as confirming that all five people on board were killed, including al-Haddad.
Earlier, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said search and rescue teams were dispatched after the jet transmitted a distress signal. Air traffic around Ankara was temporarily restricted as emergency operations were launched, with several flights diverted as a precaution.
Ankara Esenboğa Havalimanı’ndan Trablus’a (Tripoli’ye) gitmek üzere havalanan uçağın enkazına Haymana ilçesi Kesikkavak Köyü’nün 2 km. güneyinde Jandarmamız tarafından ulaşılmıştır. Gelişmelerden kamuoyu bilgilendirilecektir.
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 23, 2025
Bu akşam saat 20.10’da Ankara Esenboğa Havalimanı’ndan Tripoli’ye gitmek üzere havalanan, kuyruk numarası 9H-DFJ olan Falcon 50 tipi iş jetiyle saat 20.52 itibarıyla irtibat kesilmiştir.Söz konusu uçaktan Haymana civarında acil iniş bildirimi alınmış; ancak sonrasında uçakla…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 23, 2025
Turkish broadcasters reported that security forces reached the crash site overnight in a remote, mountainous area, airing footage that showed wreckage scattered across the terrain. Flight-tracking data cited by local media indicated the aircraft deviated from its planned route shortly before contact was lost.
Libya Genelkurmay Başkanını taşıyan Falcon-50 tipi jet düştü! Uçağın enkazına ulaşıldıhttps://t.co/jVnFcii6G3
— Haber Global (@HaberGlobal) December 23, 2025
Libyan media confirmed that General al-Haddad had concluded official meetings in Ankara earlier in the day, including a meeting with the Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, part of ongoing military and security coordination between Turkiye and Libya.
The Falcon 50 is a long-range trijet commonly used for VIP and official travel by governments and senior officials.
Turkish authorities said an investigation into the cause of the crash will begin after recovery operations are completed.
