A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in the early hours of Wednesday morning in the northwestern province of Balikesir, resulting in the death of its pilot, the country's Ministry of National Defense has confirmed. The aircraft took off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir at approximately 12:56 a.m. local time, but radio contact and its radar tracking signal were lost shortly after departure. Search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched and located the wreckage near a section of the Istanbul-Izmir highway. The pilot, identified as Air Force Major İbrahim Bolat, was killed in the crash.
The ministry stated that the cause of the accident will be determined following a comprehensive investigation by a specialized crash examination team. Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu confirmed that the aircraft went down during a mission-related flight and extended his condolences to the pilot's family. Following the incident, security forces, firefighters, and medical teams were dispatched to the scene, and a section of the Istanbul-Izmir highway was temporarily closed as debris was scattered across a wide area.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed profound sorrow over the loss, confirming that authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Balikesir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an official investigation, with senior prosecutors arriving at the scene to oversee proceedings. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek noted that the investigation will examine multiple factors, including potential mechanical failure, pilot error, and environmental conditions.
This tragic incident marks the third military-related air accident in Turkey within the past three months. In November 2025, Turkey suspended flights of its C-130 cargo planes after one crashed in neighboring Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan, killing all 20 people on board. Additionally, in December 2025, an aircraft carrying senior military officials from Libya crashed during take-off from Ankara. The recent crash also occurs amid a pattern of F-16 accidents globally, including incidents involving Taiwanese and Polish air force jets in recent months.