UPDATE 2- Wreckage of Tripoli-bound jet carrying Libyan army chief found near Ankara: Turkish interior minister

UPDATES WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY TURKISH JUSTICE MINISTER; CHANGES DECK

By Merve Berker and Seda Sevencan

ANKARA/ ISTANBUL (AA) – The wreckage of a Tripoli-bound private jet carrying the Libyan army chief that lost contact shortly after departing Ankara has been found south of the Turkish capital, Türkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Tuesday.

The wreckage of Falcon 50-type business jet, which took off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport en route to Tripoli, was found by gendarmerie teams about 2 kilometers south of Kesikkavak village in the Haymana district, Yerlikaya said.

Türkiye’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that prosecutors have launched an investigation into the crash.

Earlier, Yerlikaya announced that contact was lost with the jet, bearing tail number 9H-DFJ, at around 8.52 p.m. local time (1752 GMT), shortly after it departed at 8.10 p.m. (1710 GMT).

He said the aircraft had transmitted an emergency landing notification near Haymana but that no further communication could be established afterward.

According to the official, five passengers were on board, including Libya’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Mohamed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad.

Authorities will provide updates as developments unfold, Yerlikaya added.​​​​​​​