An F-16 fighter jet crashed in Türkiye on the evening of February 25, starting a large fire and mobilizing emergency teams. The information was confirmed by the Turkish Ministry of National Defense.
According to an official statement, the plane took off at around 01:00 local time from Balıkesir Air Base in the northwestern region of the country. The flight was a training exercise.
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Communication was lost after takeoff
According to the ministry, shortly after takeoff there was a loss of communication with the plane, which also disappeared from radar screens.
It was later confirmed that the F-16 crashed near the Izmir–Istanbul highway. Witnesses recorded the moments after the impact, showing a large fireball rising above the road.
Emergency services arrived quickly at the scene. Traffic on the motorway was closed to allow rescue and firefighting operations. From images circulating on social media, the plane’s debris can be seen scattered hundreds of meters around the crash point.
The pilot died at the scene
According to official data released by Turkish authorities, the pilot did not survive the crash and died at the scene.
A special commission was created to investigate the circumstances of the plane crash and determine the causes of the accident.
Another recent accident in the country
This incident occurred just months after another air crash in Türkiye. In December, a plane with eight people on board crashed in the country, including the Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army. All passengers died.
Authorities have so far not shown any connection between the two incidents.
A video taken just moments after the crash of a Turkish F-16 near Balıkesir tonight, with a fireball rising over the road due to impact. pic.twitter.com/pvoR9e5ghp
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) February 25, 2026
Source and image: X @Archer83Able | Wikimedia | Militarnyi. This content is created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
