Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has expressed his condolences over the crash of a Turkish military cargo plane on Georgian territory.

The President shared a message of sympathy on social media.

“We wish to express our deepest condolences and share your profound sorrow over the tragic loss of life caused by the crash of the Turkish military cargo aircraft within Georgian territory. This appalling tragedy has brought us immense grief. In these painful and difficult moments, we stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of the Republic of Turkey,” he wrote.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the Turkish military aircraft, flying in the Azerbaijan–Turkey direction, crashed in the Sighnaghi municipality, approximately five kilometers from the Georgian border.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation under Article 275, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns violations of air transport safety or operational rules resulting in loss of life.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense confirmed that a Turkish C-130 cargo aircraft crashed near the Georgian-Azerbaijani border, with 20 servicemen on board.