Event in Balikesir, 9th Main Jet Base Command area, Turkey on Wed 25th February 2026

25th February 2026

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A Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed after taking off from an airbase, killing the pilot, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.

A fighter jet of the Turkish Armed Forces went down around 12:50 am local time. Search and rescue teams reached the wreckage. The pilot did not survive.

"At 00:56 [21:56 GMT], radio contact and the location of our F-16, which took off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir, were lost.

As a result of the immediately initiated search and rescue operations, it was determined that our aircraft had crashed, and its wreckage was found," the ministry said on X, adding that the pilot died as a result of the accident.

The cause of the crash will be determined later, the ministry added.

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Turkey (TUR)

Balikesir ( 9th Main Jet Base Command area )

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