A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed shortly after takeoff from a base in western Türkiye early on Wednesday, killing its pilot, the Defence Ministry said.
The aircraft departed from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balıkesir for a routine mission but lost radio and radar contact at around 0056 local time, according to a ministry statement. The wreckage was later located near the Istanbul–Izmir highway in the Karesi district.
Emergency services, including security forces, firefighters and medical teams, were dispatched to the scene. Debris from the jet was scattered over a wide area, local media reported.
“Our pilot was martyred. The cause of the accident will be determined following an investigation by the crash examination team,” the ministry said, offering condolences to the pilot’s family.
The ministry later identified the pilot as Air Force Major İbrahim Bolat. He is due to be buried later on Wednesday following funeral prayers in İzmir.
The Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a separate investigation into the crash.
Türkiye has experienced several military aviation incidents in recent months. In November, it suspended flights of its C-130 transport aircraft after one crashed in neighbouring Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 people on board. Other countries have also reported recent F-16 accidents, including Taiwan in January and Poland in August.
The F-16 fighter jets operated by Türkiye are manufactured by U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin.