Black Box from Crashed Libyan Jet in Türkiye to be Sent to Germany for Analysis

International Agreement Reached for Black Box Analysis

Libya and Türkiye have reached an agreement to send the black box from a private jet that crashed in Türkiye, killing eight people including high-ranking Libyan military officials, to Germany for technical analysis. The decision was announced by the Libyan Interior Ministry on Thursday, December 25, 2025, following discussions between the Turkish chief public prosecutor and a Libyan investigative committee.

The crash, which occurred on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, involved a Dassault Falcon 50 business jet that departed from Ankara's Esenboğa Airport en route to Tripoli, Libya. The aircraft reportedly experienced a technical malfunction, specifically an electrical fault, and requested an emergency landing before losing contact and crashing near the village of Kesikkavak in the Haymana district, south of Ankara.

Victims Identified in Tragic Incident

All eight individuals on board the private jet perished in the crash. Among the deceased was Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, Libya's military chief. He was returning from high-level defense talks in Ankara aimed at strengthening military cooperation between Libya and Türkiye.

Other Libyan military officials confirmed to have died in the incident include:

• Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, head of Libya's ground forces
• Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, head of the military manufacturing authority
• Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, adviser to the chief of staff
• Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer

Three crew members were also among the fatalities.

Investigation and Recovery Efforts

Search teams in Türkiye recovered both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) on Wednesday, December 24, 2025. Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu had initially stated that the black boxes would be sent to a 'neutral country' for analysis, with France being considered before Germany was ultimately agreed upon.

The Turkish chief public prosecutor has pledged to provide Libyan authorities with all relevant documents and surveillance camera recordings related to the incident. Additionally, DNA analysis results from the victims' families, conducted by Libya's Criminal Investigation Department in Tripoli, have been shared with Turkish authorities to aid in identification procedures.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah expressed profound sorrow over the deaths, describing the crash as a 'tragic accident' and a 'great loss' for Libya, and declared three days of national mourning. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran have provided ongoing updates on the crash site and recovery operations.