Turkish Foreign Minister mourns pilot killed in Croatia plane crash

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has expressed his condolences following the tragic crash of a Turkish firefighting aircraft in Croatia, which led to the death of the pilot. The incident involves a plane owned by Türkiye's General Directorate of Forestry that had lost contact during a flight for scheduled maintenance.

Ministerial Condolences for a National Loss

In a message posted on social media platform X, Minister Fidan stated, “I extend my condolences to the family and loved ones of our pilot who was martyred after a firefighting aircraft belonging to Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry crashed in Croatia. May Allah have mercy on him.” His sentiments were echoed by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, who confirmed the discovery of the wreckage near Senj, Croatia.

Details of the Ill-Fated Flight

The crash occurred during a maintenance transfer flight for two AT802 aircraft. The planes had departed from Canakkale and were forced to divert to Rijeka Airport due to poor weather. While one aircraft managed to return and land safely during a subsequent attempt to reach Zagreb, the second plane lost contact at 18:25 Turkish time on Thursday, November 13.

High-Level National Mourning

The tragic event has prompted a wave of mourning at the highest levels of the Turkish government. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also issued a statement, expressing deep sadness and offering prayers for the martyred pilot, underscoring the national sense of loss for a serviceman who served in the country's critical firefighting efforts.