F-16 fighter jet crashes in Türkiye (VIDEOS)

A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight in western Türkiye early Wednesday, claiming the life of the pilot, local authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, assigned to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir, went down at around 1 AM local time. Officials said radio contact with the fighter was lost shortly after takeoff, prompting immediate search-and-rescue operations.

Emergency teams later located the wreckage and confirmed that the pilot had died in the crash.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense has identified the pilot as Major Ibrahim Bolat. It said the exact cause of the accident remains unknown and will be determined following a technical investigation by an official crash assessment team.

Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said the aircraft crashed during what was described as a routine flight. He extended condolences to the pilot’s family and praised him as a “martyr” who died in the line of duty.

Footage circulating on social media showed emergency vehicles and first responders arriving near the crash site close to the Bursa–Izmir highway, with debris scattered across the area as authorities secured the scene.

Justice Minister Akın Gurlek announced that the Balikesir Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a formal investigation. Prosecutors and forensic teams were dispatched to examine the wreckage and gather evidence. No preliminary findings regarding mechanical failure, weather conditions, or human factors have yet been released.