orgian-Azerbaijani border. Turkiye’s Defence Ministry reported that 20 Turkish personnel, including flight crew, were on board. Local media indicated that Azerbaijani personnel may also have been among the passengers, though exact numbers have not been confirmed. Both countries have indicated that fatalities have occurred. Dramatic footage released by Azerbaijani media showed the aircraft engulfed in a large cloud of black smoke after impact. Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze arrived at the crash site in the afternoon as search and rescue operations began. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deep sorrow over the accident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our soldiers in Georgian territory,” he said. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev also commented on the incident, stating, “We are shocked by the news of the loss of life of our soldiers in this accident.” Georgia’s Sakaeronavigatsia air traffic control reported that the aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after entering Georgian airspace and did not send a distress signal before the crash. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.