Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has expressed his condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following the crash of a Turkish military cargo plane in Georgia.

In a phone call with President Erdoğan, Prime Minister Kobakhidze conveyed Georgia’s sympathy and support in the wake of the tragedy.

“I conveyed my heartfelt condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following the tragic crash of a Turkish Air Force cargo plane in Georgia. During this difficult time, Georgia stands in full solidarity with our Turkish friends. Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those affected by this tragedy,” Kobakhidze wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Turkish military aircraft, traveling from Azerbaijan to Türkiye, went down in the Sighnaghi municipality, about five kilometers from the Georgian border.

Authorities have launched an investigation under Article 275, Part 4 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which pertains to breaches of air transport safety regulations resulting in fatalities.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense confirmed that the aircraft was a C-130 transport plane and that 20 servicemen were on board at the time of the crash.