Libya’s Interior Ministry has announced that the flight recorder recovered from a plane crash in Türkiye that killed senior Libyan military officials will be sent to Germany for detailed technical analysis, as investigations into the deadly incident intensify.
In a statement, the ministry said the decision aims to guarantee a “precise and neutral technical assessment” of the crash circumstances. The black box, which includes both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, is considered a critical component in determining the sequence of events that led to the disaster.
German authorities, most notably the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) based in Braunschweig, are internationally recognised for their expertise in analysing flight recorders. Libyan officials said the analysis would contribute to a transparent and credible investigation process.
The announcement follows remarks by Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who said that the black box would be examined in a neutral country after preliminary procedures were completed, without initially naming Germany. Turkish authorities have pledged full cooperation with Libyan investigators, including the provision of documents and surveillance camera footage linked to the crash.
According to the Libyan Interior Ministry, the Libyan criminal police have also sent DNA samples from relatives of the victims to Turkish authorities to formally confirm the identities of those killed.
The private jet departed from Ankara bound for Libya before crashing around 80 kilometres south of the Turkish capital. All eight people on board were killed, Turkish officials confirmed. Among the victims was Libyan Chief of the General Staff Mohammed al-Haddad, who had been on an official visit to Türkiye on behalf of the Tripoli-based government.
Hundreds of emergency responders and rescue teams were deployed to the mountainous crash site as part of the recovery operation.
The incident has prompted widespread mourning in Libya, a country still grappling with the legacy of political division and conflict that followed the 2011 overthrow of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. Authorities have stressed that the investigation’s findings will be made public once technical analyses are completed.
