A private jet carrying Libya’s Chief of General Staff under the Government of National Unity (GNU) went missing Tuesday evening after losing contact with Turkish air traffic control near Ankara, prompting an emergency response by Turkish authorities and heightened concern in Libya.
According to a statement by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the aircraft, a Falcon 50 with registration number 9H-DFJ, departed Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport at approximately 20:10 local time on a flight bound for Tripoli. While flying over the Haymana area south of Ankara, the crew reportedly issued an emergency landing request. Shortly afterward, all communication with the aircraft was lost.
Yerlikaya confirmed that five people were on board, including Libya’s Chief of General Staff in Tripoli, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, along with four others. As of late Tuesday night, Turkish authorities had not released official information regarding survivors or casualties.
Flight-tracking data cited by Reuters showed several aircraft being diverted away from Ankara’s airspace following the incident, suggesting emergency measures were activated. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show an explosion near the area where contact with the aircraft was lost, though no official confirmation has been provided linking the footage to the missing jet.
Libyan media reported that the GNU Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba formed an emergency crisis cell to coordinate with Turkish officials and follow developments closely. Turkish media also reported that search and rescue teams were dispatched to the suspected crash area, although difficult terrain and nighttime conditions may complicate operations.
Earlier on the same day, Al-Haddad had held meetings in Ankara with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Turkish Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, focusing on military cooperation between Libya and Turkey.