Tel aviv: The wreckage of a Tripoli-bound private jet carrying the Libyan army chief that lost contact shortly after departing Ankara has been found south of the Turkish capital, Trkiye's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced. The Falcon 50-type business jet, which took off from Ankara's Esenboga Airport en route to Tripoli, was located by gendarmerie teams approximately 2 kilometers south of Kesikkavak village in the Haymana district, Yerlikaya stated. Trkiye's Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc noted that prosecutors have initiated an investigation into the crash.

According to Anadolu Agency, Interior Minister Yerlikaya had earlier reported that communication was lost with the aircraft, identified by tail number 9H-DFJ, at around 8.52 p.m. local time (1752 GMT), not long after its departure at 8.10 p.m. (1710 GMT).

The aircraft had issued an emergency landing signal near Haymana, but no further contact was achieved. The jet had five passengers on board, including Libya's Chief of General Staff Gen. Mohamed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad.