Turkish firefighting plane crashes in Croatia, pilot killed

A Turkish aerial firefighting plane has crashed in Croatia, leading to the death of the pilot on board. The aircraft, operated by Türkiye's General Directorate of Forestry, was located near Senj, Croatia, after it lost contact during a flight for scheduled maintenance. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed the fatal incident.

Minister's Statement on the Tragedy

Minister Ibrahim Yumakli announced the discovery of the wreckage on the social media platform NSosyal. He stated, "The wreckage of our General Directorate of Forestry firefighting plane, which lost radio contact in Croatia, has been found near the city of Senj, Croatia. I pray for Allah’s mercy on our pilot, who was martyred in this tragic accident, and extend my condolences and patience to his family and loved ones."

Details of the Ill-Fated Flight

According to the Ministry's earlier reports, the crash involved one of two AT802 firefighting planes that had departed from Canakkale, Türkiye. The aircraft were headed to Zagreb, Croatia, for maintenance. After an overnight stop in Rijeka due to poor weather, the planes attempted to continue their journey the following day. While one plane landed safely back in Rijeka, the second aircraft lost contact at 18:25 Turkish time.

Ongoing Investigation

The circumstances surrounding the plane crash are under investigation. The loss of the aircraft and its pilot represents a significant tragedy for the Turkish forestry service, which utilizes such planes extensively for combating wildfires across the country.