ANKARA: A Syrian official says the downing of a Turkish military plane Syria has said was operating in its airspace was an accident, and not a hostile act against its neighbor.

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi told Turkish news channel A Haber on Saturday that Syria had exerted its "sovereign right" against an "unknown" aircraft violating its air space.

Makdisi was quoted as telling the channel that Syria did not realize the plane was Turkish, and "there was no enmity against Turkey."

He said Syria was helping Turkey find the missing pilots and recover the wreckage.

Turkish officials said Saturday that Turkey was contemplating retaliatory steps, but did not elaborate. AGENCIES