Jet carrying Libyan Chief of Staff crashes in Ankara

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TÜRKİYE — DECEMBER 23, 2025

A Falcon 50 business jet carrying the Libyan Chief of Staff, General Mohammed Ali Al-Haddad, crashed near Ankara’s Haymana district on Tuesday evening shortly after departing from Esenboğa International Airport.

The aircraft, which was bound for Tripoli, disappeared from radar approximately 40 miles after takeoff. Following the incident, flight operations at Ankara Esenboğa Airport were temporarily suspended as emergency response protocols were activated. Turkish authorities have confirmed that General Al-Haddad was on board following an official visit to the Turkish capital at the invitation of General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.

Official Statement from Minister Yerlikaya

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya released a statement regarding the disappearance of the aircraft. "Contact was lost at 8:52 PM with the Falcon 50 business jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, which took off from Ankara Esenboğa Airport at 8:10 PM today," Yerlikaya said. He further noted that an emergency landing notification was received from the vicinity of Haymana just before the signal was lost. The Minister confirmed that five passengers, including General Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, were on the manifest.

Details of the Flight and Aircraft

The jet is reported to be operated by Malta-based Harmony Jets. The Falcon 50 is a French-designed, long-range business jet manufactured by Dassault, featuring a distinctive three-engine configuration. It has a standard flight endurance of approximately 6.5 hours.

General Al-Haddad had arrived in Ankara earlier today for high-level military cooperation meetings. Search and rescue teams have been dispatched to the rugged terrain of Haymana, where the aircraft is believed to have gone down. Authorities stated that the public would be updated as further developments regarding the status of the passengers and the cause of the crash emerge.

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