Turkey has firmly denied claims that a Turkish Airlines passenger flight avoided landing in Libya following a deadly military plane crash involving a Libyan delegation near Ankara, calling the reports misleading and unfounded.
According to the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency, Türkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) said the Turkish Airlines flight TK641, scheduled to operate from Istanbul to Benghazi on 24 December, was diverted solely due to adverse weather conditions. The aircraft was redirected to Bodrum Milas Airport after wind speeds at Benghazi’s airport exceeded operational safety limits.
In a statement published on Turkey’s NSosyal platform, the DMM stressed that the diversion had “no connection whatsoever” to security concerns or political considerations following the crash. It added that Turkish Airlines flights to Libya continued as scheduled in the days that followed, without any disruption.
The clarification came after social media reports suggested the flight had refrained from landing in Libya over fears of possible retaliation after a Libyan military aircraft crashed near the Turkish capital. Ankara rejected the claims, warning that such narratives were designed to spread disinformation and harm bilateral relations.
“The public is kindly urged not to give credence to such unfounded claims containing disinformation aimed at undermining our relations with friendly and brotherly Libya through a tragic accident,” the DMM said.
The controversy follows a fatal crash on 23 December involving a private jet carrying a Libyan military delegation. The aircraft went down near Ankara, killing all eight people on board, including three crew members. Among the victims was Mohamed Al-Haddad, Libya’s Army Chief of Staff, alongside other senior military figures.
The incident prompted widespread mourning in Libya and condolences from Turkish officials, who described the crash as a tragic loss and reaffirmed their commitment to strong ties with Libyan institutions.
Turkey and Libya maintain close political, economic and aviation links, with regular commercial flights operating between the two countries. Turkish officials reiterated that aviation decisions are governed strictly by safety and technical standards, not political events.