Yesterday, a C130 type military transport aircraft belonging to fraternal Turkey, en route from Azerbaijan to Turkey, crashed in Georgian territory.
As a result of the crash, all 20 servicemen on board the aircraft were martyred.
Following the crash, various comments and statements are being made.
Different hypotheses and versions are being voiced regarding the causes of the crash.
Yıldırım Tuğrul, a deputy from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, stated in a declaration to Modern.az that it is not appropriate to immediately focus on any conclusions:
“I am also following the thoughts and comments expressed since yesterday. Some say that the nose or tail of the aircraft broke off, and the possibility of an attack is being considered. However, in these matters, it is not correct to immediately jump to any conclusions. From this perspective, I consider it important to be a little patient, to take care of our deceased, to attend to the burial of our martyrs, and I believe that discussing the causes and consequences of the crash should be postponed.”
The deputy responded to the opinions expressed regarding why the pilots did not parachute from the aircraft as follows:
“It is not right for people who did not experience that moment to sit in comfortable places and express opinions. They were returning to their homeland; were they ready to jump from the plane?! All of them were highly trained servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces. From that perspective, I do not consider it appropriate to pass judgment. Let's wait for this matter. Let's wait for what will be found, and then we can comment on it.”
Turkish military expert Abdullah Ağar listed several possibilities regarding the crash:
“Everyone is trying to comment on the incident from their own point of view. In this regard, looking at the past, one can naturally speak of pilot error. On the other hand, one can also talk about technical malfunction, external interference, that is, the effects of weather conditions, any attack, and sabotage. We do not know which of these caused the crash. However, we are aware of the fact that the C-130 type military transport aircraft is reliable. This is precisely why this aircraft is used in armies worldwide, and to date, 2500 units of the C-130 have been produced. The US army uses these aircraft in various tactical forms. Approaching the issue from this perspective, the fact that such an aircraft disintegrated in the air and crashed raises several suspicions. The aircraft's crew was extremely strong. Frankly, I do not consider pilot error likely. Ideas are also put forward about incorrect loading, which I also do not believe. Because they knew very well that this would endanger their lives. Technical malfunction is possible. A fuel-related malfunction or an explosion is a stronger possibility. The possibility of an explosion inside the aircraft due to a technical malfunction or any destabilizing explosive comes to mind.”
Abdullah Ağar stated that he gives more probability to external interference:
“On the other hand, the possibility that comes to my mind is external interference. An attack by Air Defense Systems, kamikaze drones, or missiles is a possible scenario. Some people suggested that the Russians might have shot it down, mistaking it for a Ukrainian aircraft. However, this is a very small probability. In such a geopolitically tense situation, I would place the Russians last on the list. But I can place others first. For example, could a number of Armenian radical groups, dissatisfied with Turkey's role in cooperation with Azerbaijan during the Karabakh war or with the current political conjuncture, have carried out this act? It comes to mind as a possibility. In the South Caucasus, in the recent past, during many conflicts, aircraft crashed due to certain vulnerabilities. We must be vigilant. Some countries that are concerned about the military cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan and want to manipulate these processes might also be behind this incident. I will not name them, but there are many possibilities.”
Our interviewee's response to the statements regarding the pilots not parachuting from the aircraft was as follows:
“Georgian officials have information that there was no emergency call. The pilots encountered an unexpected situation. Therefore, they could not make an emergency call. They should have provided information about the areas where the aircraft would land. Nothing of the sort happened. An emergency situation arose, and the aircraft crashed in this manner. We question the will behind this. In such a case, the matter becomes even more complicated. The issue goes so deep that... For example, your passenger plane was shot down. This became a fundamental reference for relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. This is something similar. Therefore, one must be very careful against manipulation. If someone wants to disrupt relations between you and a country, they might have taken such a step to intimidate.”
