Overview
- Radio and radar contact with the jet was lost at about 00:56 local time soon after departure from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balıkesir.
- Search-and-rescue teams located the wreckage near the Istanbul–İzmir motorway, with debris reported across a wide area.
- Emergency services, including medical teams and security forces, responded quickly to secure the site and assist operations.
- The Ministry of National Defence confirmed the fatality and said findings will follow examinations by the crash investigation team.
- The Balıkesir public prosecutor’s office is conducting a judicial probe, while Turkey’s large F-16 fleet context was noted by officials and industry sources.