Four killed in military helicopter crash in eastern Turkey: Defense Ministry

• Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed the fatalities but said the cause of the crash remains unknown.
• Local media footage showed emergency crews, ambulances and firefighting vehicles at the scene.
• The crash follows other military aviation accidents in Turkey, including a deadly C-130 cargo plane crash in Georgia in Nov. 2025 that killed 20 soldiers.

Four Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday when a military S-70 helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Malatya, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry confirmed the deaths of the four soldiers and said the cause of the Nov. 12 crash has not been determined yet.

Footage broadcast by local media showed ambulances, police and firefighting vehicles at the scene, with flames and smoke rising from the wreckage.

The incident comes amid a series of fatal accidents involving Turkish military aircraft in recent months.

The most recent major disaster occurred on Nov. 11, 2025, when a Turkish military C-130 cargo aircraft crashed in Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 soldiers on board, according to Reuters. The Turkish Defence Ministry said at the time that the cause was still under investigation and that the aircraft's flight and cockpit voice recorders had been sent for analysis. Preliminary findings announced in April 2026 found no traces of explosives, although technical investigations were continuing.

This is a developing story. Further details are expected as the Defence Ministry releases additional information.

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