The first ceremony for the 20 soldiers killed on a cargo plane that crashed in Georgia was held at Mürted Air Base in Ankara. The martyrs will be buried after funeral prayers held in 17 provinces. A ceremony will be held for the three martyrs in Ankara.
A C-130 military cargo plane with tail number 68-1609 belonging to the Air Force Command crashed on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border on November 11, killing 20 soldiers.
The bodies of the martyrs brought to Tbilisi were returned to Türkiye last night by the Turkish Armed Forces' A-400 M military cargo plane. The plane took off from Tbilisi International Airport and landed at Murted Air Base after a 2½-hour journey.
The bodies of the martyrs were put on hearse and sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Keçiören, along with a convoy. After a journey of about 40 minutes, the convoy carrying the bodies of the martyrs arrived at the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Hundreds of people greeted the convoy in front of the Institute of Forensic Medicine with Turkish flags in their hands.
MILITARY CEREMONY AT MÜRTED AIR BASE
A ceremony was held for the martyrs at Mürted Airport Command in Ankara. At the ceremony, the names of the martyrs were read one by one.
Chairman of the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş, Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, parliamentarians, Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, Governor of Ankara Vasip Şahin, Commander of the Azerbaijan Air Force, Major General Namig İslamzade, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ankara Reşad Mammadov and their families Martyrs attended the ceremony.
After the ceremony here, the remains of the martyrs were brought back to their homeland to say goodbye on their final journey.
Today 19 martyrs were buried in a ceremony held in their hometown. The bodies of the three martyrs will be buried in Ankara. The funeral of martyred pilot Lieutenant Colonel Gökhan Korkmaz will be held in Istanbul on Saturday, November 15.
Comprehensive investigations into the cause of the accident are continuing.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO SERGEANT BURAK İBBİĞİ
Non-commissioned officer Sergeant Burak İbbiği is 28 years old, a martyr, known to have started his service five years ago, single and has four siblings. The martyr's body will be buried in Çorum.
AIR SUPPLY NCO SENIOR CENTER AHMET YASİR KUYUCU
Martyr Ahmet Kuyucu is 25 years old and married. It is known that the martyr was on duty at Merzifon, Main Jet Base Command No. 5. The martyr's body will be buried in Konya.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO SERGEANT BERKAY KARACA
Sad news has come to the family of 27-year-old martyr Berkay Karaca in Lüleburgaz district of Kırklareli. The martyr's body will be buried in Kırklareli.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER AKIN KARAKUŞ
Petty Officer Akın Karakuş is responsible for aircraft maintenance. He goes on duty from Amasya Merzifon Air Base. The martyr's body will be buried in Serdivan district of Sakarya.
CHIEF AIR PILOT CÜNEYT KANDEMİR
Martyred pilot Second Lieutenant Cüneyt Kandemir was serving in Kayseri, he was 31 years old. The martyred soldier got married last year. Before going to Azerbaijan, Kandemir visited his father, Adil Kandemir, who lives in Ankara, and asked for forgiveness. The martyr's body will be buried in Ankara.
YARBAY PILOT GÖKHAN KOKRMAZ
The highest-ranking officer killed in the accident was Lieutenant Colonel Gökhan Korkmaz. Korkmaz was also the pilot of the crashed cargo plane and the father of a child. The martyr's biggest dream as a child was to become a pilot, and he achieved this dream when he entered the Air Force Academy. The martyred soldier was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel 4 months ago. The martyr's wife is working as a cabin supervisor at Turkish Airlines. The martyr's body will be buried in Istanbul on November 15.
CEM DOLAPCİ VALLEY AIR TRANSPORTATION EXPERT
The body of one of the martyrs, Special Forces Sergeant Cem Dolapci, is expected to be buried in Ankara.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER BURAK ÖZKAN
Şehit Hava Aircraft maintenance officer Sergeant Burak Özkan is married and has two children. It was reported that Martyr Burak Özkan was registered among the population of Havuzlu village in Bor district of Niğde.
CENTRAL AIR TRANSPORTATION SPECIALIST EMRE SAYIN
Air Force Sergeant Emre Sayın is 40 years old, married and father of three children. It is known that the martyr's third child was born about 2 months ago. The martyred soldier will be buried in Balıkesir.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER EMRAH KURAN
Petty Officer Emrah Kuran is an employee of the 12th Kayseri Air Transport Main Base Command. The 37-year-old martyr is the father of three children. The martyred soldier will be buried at Muğla Milas.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER HAMDİ ARMAĞAN KAPLAN
Hamdi Armağan Kaplan, father of two, 40 years old. The martyred soldier was serving at Merzifon Main Jet Base No. 5. The martyr's body will be buried in the center of Gümüşhacıköy district in Amasya.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NATIONAL OFFICER İLHAN ONGAN
Petty Officer Sergeant İlhan Ongan is 31 years old and is on duty at the 5th Main Jet Base Merzifon. The martyr's body will be buried in Bilecik.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO SENIOR MASTER ÜMİT İNCE
The news reached the home of Senior Officer Ümit İnce's father in Izmir's Karabağlar district. The martyr is expected to be buried in Ankara.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NATIONAL OFFICER SENIOR MASTER NURİ ÖZCAN
Martyr officer Nuri Özcan is 54 years old and the father of two children. Mehmet Özcan, father of the martyr, said his son was very interested in his profession and loved it very much. The martyr's body will be buried at Beşbinevler Martyrs Cemetery after prayers at Çamlık Mosque in Karabük.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER RAMAZAN YAĞIZ
Sergeant Ramazan Yağız, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, has served in the Turkish Armed Forces for many years. It was revealed that Martyr Ramazan Yağız commemorated his childhood friend, Infantry Senior Sergeant Emre Sevinç, who was martyred 3 years ago, by sharing it on his social media account, just hours before boarding the crashed plane.
HE SAVED LIVES WITH STEAM CELLS
It is also known that this martyr is a stem cell donor and donated his life to a cancer patient who received a stem cell transplant 2 years ago. The martyr's body will be buried in Bursa.
AIR PILOT MAJOR SERDAR USLU
Martyr pilot major Serdar Uslu, 39 years old, is working at the 12th Kayseri Air Transport Base Command and is preparing to become a father. The martyr's wife, Göknur Uslu, is 7 months pregnant. The martyred soldier was a pilot assigned to Egypt to bring Gazans wounded in the Israeli attack on November 23, 2023 to Türkiye. The martyr's body will be buried in Bursa.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE NCO MASTER İLKER AYKUT
39-year-old Petty Officer İlker Aykut is the father of a child. Before boarding the plane from Azerbaijan, the martyr called his father, Ünal Aykut, and said: “Dad, we are about to return. Have you planted the fields yet?” It is known that he asked. The martyr's body will be buried in Tekirdağ.
AIR PILOT MAJOR NIHAT İLGEN
38-year-old pilot major Nihat İlgen, a native of Bolu, is the father of three children. The martyred soldier was serving in Kayseri. The martyr's wife, Ülkü İlgen, was informed about his martyrdom. The martyr's funeral will be buried in Kayseri.
FIRST CHIEF EMRE MERCAN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
Second Lieutenant Emre Mercan is 27 years old, works at the 5th Main Jet Base Merzifon and is married. The martyr's body will be buried in Eskişehir.
AIR MAINTENANCE NCO CENTRAL EMRE ALTIOK
Petty Officer Emre Altıok is 32 years old and the father of a child. The martyr will experience the joy of becoming a father for the second time. The sad news was told to the martyr's pregnant wife, accompanied by medical staff. The martyr's body will be buried in Samsun.
