Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili extended his condolences to the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the tragic crash of a Turkish Air Force cargo plane in Georgia.

In a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, President Kavelashvili expressed his sorrow over the incident and reaffirmed Georgia’s solidarity with the Turkish people.

“I held a telephone conversation with the President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I conveyed my deepest condolences to my Turkish counterpart regarding the crash of a Turkish Air Force cargo plane in Georgia. The conversation also addressed the ongoing search and rescue operations. In these difficult moments, we stand in steadfast solidarity with the people of Türkiye and sincerely share your grief and sorrow,” Kavelashvili shared in a social media post.

The Turkish military aircraft went down in Georgia’s Sighnaghi municipality, approximately five kilometres from the state border, while flying along the Azerbaijan–Türkiye route. Authorities have launched an investigation under Article 275, Part 4 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which pertains to violations of air transport safety or operational regulations resulting in fatalities or injuries.