ANKARA: A private jet carrying the chief of staff of Libya’s army reported an electrical failure and requested an emergency landing shortly before crashing near Ankara, Turkiye’s head of communications said on Wednesday.
The Dassault Falcon 50 jet took off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 1717 GMT on Tuesday en route to Tripoli and at 1733 GMT it informed air traffic control of an emergency caused by an electrical malfunction, Burhanettin Duran said in a statement.
Eight people, including three crew members, were killed in the crash, according to Libyan and Turkish officials.
Air traffic control redirected the aircraft back toward Esenboga Airport and emergency measures were initiated, but the jet disappeared from radar at 1736 GMT while descending for landing and contact was lost, he said.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya earlier said the aircraft requested an emergency landing while flying over Ankara’s Haymana district, adding that the wreckage was later found near Kesikkavak village in the area.
