Two French crew members died when a Falcon 50 jet crashed in central Turkey, killing Libya’s armed forces chief, officials said Friday. The jet went down minutes after taking off from Ankara on Tuesday, ending a routine flight in sudden devastation.
Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Haddad, chief of staff of Libya’s UN-backed army, was among those killed alongside four aides. A French diplomatic source confirmed two French nationals, both crew members, died in the accident without disclosing their identities.
France’s foreign ministry said it is supporting the families, offering assistance as investigations continue into the deadly crash. Turkish authorities recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the wreckage near Haymana, south of Ankara.
Officials said contact with the aircraft was lost 42 minutes after take-off, shortly after an emergency landing alert was transmitted. The Dassault Falcon 50, a French-made business jet, was chartered from Malta-based Harmony Jets, which conducts maintenance in France.
Harmony Jets declined to comment on the crew’s nationalities, citing confidentiality as investigators work to establish the cause. Turkish aviation reports said the pilot and co-pilot were French, while unconfirmed reports mentioned a Greek cabin attendant.
France’s air accident investigation agency confirmed its participation in the Turkish-led probe into the crash. Turkey said the flight recorders will be analysed in a neutral country, as Libya mourns another chapter of turmoil.
