Libya’s army chief dies in Turkey crash: Search and restoration groups intensify operations

[ad_1] ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Search groups in Turkey on Wednesday recovered the cockpit voice and flight information recorders from a jet crash that killed eight folks, together with Libya’s military chief , whereas efforts to retrieve the victims’ stays have been nonetheless underway, Turkey’s inside minister stated.

The non-public jet carrying Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, 4 different army officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday, after taking off from Turkey’s capital, Ankara, killing everybody on board. Libyan officers stated that the reason for the crash was a technical malfunction on the aircraft.

The high-level Libyan delegation was on its approach again to Tripoli after holding protection talks in Ankara geared toward boosting army cooperation between the 2 international locations.

Turkish Inside Minister Ali Yerlikaya instructed journalists on the web site of the crash that wreckage was scattered throughout an space protecting three sq. kilometers (greater than a sq. mile), complicating restoration efforts. Authorities from the Turkish forensic drugs authority have been working to recuperate and determine the stays, he stated.

A 22-person delegation — together with 5 relations — arrived from Libya early on Wednesday to help within the investigation, he stated.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths on Tuesday, describing the crash on Fb as a “tragic accident” and a “nice loss” for Libya.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone name with Dbeibah, throughout which he conveyed his condolences and expressed his sorrow over the deaths, his workplace stated.

The Turkish chief later additionally supplied his condolences throughout a televised speech, voicing solidarity with Libya.

“An investigation has been launched into this tragic incident that has deeply saddened us, and our ministries will present details about its progress,” Erdogan stated.

Al-Hadad was the highest army commander in western Libya and performed an important function within the ongoing, U.N.-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s army, which has break up, very similar to the nation’s different establishments.

The 4 different army officers who died within the crash have been Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, the top of Libya’s floor forces, Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, who led the army manufacturing authority, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, adviser to the chief of employees, and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a army photographer with the chief of employees’s workplace.

The identities of the three crew members weren’t instantly launched.

Turkish officers stated that the Falcon 50-type enterprise jet took off from Ankara’s Esenboga airport at 8:30 p.m. and that contact was misplaced round 40 minutes later. The aircraft notified air visitors management of {an electrical} fault and requested an emergency touchdown. The plane was redirected again to Esenboga, the place preparations for its touchdown started.

The aircraft, nevertheless, disappeared from radar whereas descending for the emergency touchdown, the Turkish presidential communications workplace stated.

The Libyan authorities declared a three-day interval of nationwide mourning. Flags could be flown half-staff in any respect state establishments, in accordance with the federal government’s announcement on Fb.

The wreckage was discovered close to the village of Kesikkavak, in Haymana, a district about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Ankara.

On the crash web site, search and restoration groups intensified their operations on Wednesday after an evening of heavy rain and fog, the state-run Anadolu Company reported. Gendarmerie police sealed off the realm whereas the Turkish catastrophe administration company, AFAD, arrange a cellular coordination heart. Specialised autos, reminiscent of tracked ambulances, have been deployed due to the muddy terrain.

Turkey has assigned 4 prosecutors to guide the investigation, and Yerlikaya that stated the Turkish search and restoration groups included 408 personnel.

Whereas in Ankara, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Protection Minister Yasar Guler and different officers.

Libya plunged into chaos after the nation’s 2011 rebellion toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country break up, with rival administrations within the east and west, backed by an array of rogue militias and international governments.

Turkey has been allied with Libya’s government in the west , however has not too long ago taken steps to enhance ties with the eastern-based authorities as properly.

Tuesday’s go to by the Libyan delegation got here a day after Turkey’s parliament authorised a two-year extension of the mandate of Turkish troops serving in Libya. Turkey deployed troops following a 2019 safety and army cooperation settlement that was reached between Ankara and the Tripoli-based authorities.

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Fay Abuelgasim reported from Cairo. Fatma Khaled contributed to this report from Cairo.

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