Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that the black box from the Turkish Air Force C-130 that crashed in Georgia yesterday has been found, and an investigation has been launched.
“As soon as we learned of the incident, our Minister of National Defense, as well as the Ministers of the Interior and Foreign Affairs, contacted the relevant parties. Search and rescue operations began immediately. We, together with the Georgian authorities, immediately deployed our drones. That evening, information was received about the discovery of aircraft wreckage. The crash site has been cordoned off. The black box from our plane has been found, and an investigation has been launched,” Erdogan stated during a speech in Ankara.
He also noted that “the bodies of 19 victims have been recovered, and the search for the last body is ongoing.”
Erdogan stated that the incident will be “thoroughly and comprehensively investigated.” “The Georgian authorities are providing maximum support and cooperation at the highest level. Our Azerbaijani brothers are also providing all necessary support and assistance. My people can rest assured that all the resources of Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan are mobilized. We are closely monitoring the progress of the work [at the crash site]. We will ensure a thorough investigation of the incident and clarifications to all parties,” the Turkish leader stated.