A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight in Yalova province on Wednesday, but the pilot survived after successfully ejecting from the aircraft.
The crash prompted emergency services to respond to the scene, while authorities began investigating what caused the military aircraft to go down.
Türkiye’s Defence Ministry confirmed that one of its Air Force F-16 aircraft crashed at the Yalova Airfield Command during a training flight.
“One of our Air Force’s F-16 aircraft crashed in Yalova during a training flight; the pilot ejected and survived,” the ministry said.
The ministry added that the cause of the crash would be established following a detailed investigation.
Pilot survives after ejecting
The pilot was able to use the F-16’s ejection system before the aircraft crashed, allowing him to survive the incident.
Yalova Governor Ahmet Hamdi Usta also confirmed that the aircraft had crashed during a training flight and that the pilot survived. The governor said he was travelling to the crash site.
Videos shared by local media showed a large plume of black smoke rising from a field following the crash.
The incident occurred in northwestern Türkiye, with officials yet to provide further details about the aircraft's condition or the circumstances that led to the crash.
The Defence Ministry said a detailed investigation would determine the cause of the accident.
