A Falcon-50 type business jet, which departed from Ankara Esenboğa Airport on December 23, 2025, at 20:10 local time, lost contact with air traffic control at 20:52. The aircraft, which was carrying Libyan Chief of Staff General Muhammed Ali Al-Haddad and four other passengers, along with three crew members, was en route to Tripoli, Libya. The crash site was located approximately 2 km south of Kesikkavak Village in the Haymana district of Ankara.
Flights Halted at Esenboğa Airport
Following the incident, all flights at Ankara Esenboğa Airport were temporarily suspended. The jet disappeared from radar approximately 40 miles after takeoff. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that contact with the jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, was lost at 20:52. An emergency landing notification was received from the aircraft near Haymana, but contact could not be re-established.
Investigation Launched by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a comprehensive investigation into the crash. A team comprising one Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor and four Public Prosecutors has been assigned to meticulously examine all aspects of the incident. President of Communications Burhanettin Duran also confirmed that the wreckage of the special jet had been reached and that all necessary work was being carried out diligently by relevant institutions.
According to Duran, the aircraft reported an electrical malfunction and requested an emergency landing at 20:33, after taking off from Esenboğa Airport at 20:17. Air traffic control redirected the plane back to Esenboğa, and preparations for an emergency landing were initiated. However, the aircraft disappeared from radar at 20:36 during its descent.
Eyewitness Accounts and Initial Findings
Eyewitness Ömer Lütfü Ünal described hearing a loud noise and feeling a significant tremor, initially mistaking it for an earthquake. Upon realizing it was a plane crash, he and other citizens rushed to assist. Ünal reported a strong smell of fuel and scattered aircraft parts, indicating the severe impact. He noted that the plane’s fuselage was completely fragmented and spread across the terrain, with no intact bodies found, only scattered remains. Due to muddy roads, fire and ambulance teams faced difficulties reaching the site initially.
Libyan Government Expresses Condolences
Libyan National Unity Government Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe expressed profound sorrow and grief over the news of the death of Libyan Army Chief of Staff Mohamed Al-Haddad and his companions. General Al-Haddad had been in Ankara on an official invitation from Turkish Chief of Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.
Aircraft Details and Company Information
The crashed aircraft was identified as a Malta-registered Falcon 50 business jet, owned by Harmony Jets, a Malta-based company. The Falcon 50, a French-manufactured Dassault design, is a tri-jet capable of carrying up to 10 passengers and has a flight endurance of 6.5 hours. The exact number of passengers on board at the time of the crash was five, including General Al-Haddad.
Authorities have urged the public to rely solely on official statements from authorities and to disregard unverified information, speculation, and conspiracy theories circulating on social media to prevent disinformation.
Source: https://www.sabah.com.tr/yasam/son-dakika-ankarada-ozel-bir-jet-ile-baglanti-koptu-7489576
