Libyan Committee to Investigate Circumstances Surrounding Chief of Staff Plane Crash in Turkey

SadaNews - The Libyan Government of National Unity announced the formation of an investigative committee to look into the circumstances of the plane crash involving Chief of Staff Mohamed Al-Haddad near the Turkish capital, Ankara.

The committee will take on the direct coordination tasks and communication with Turkish security and judicial authorities to gather details of the incident, along with reviewing all documents and reports related to safety procedures, in cooperation with the Turkish side.

The committee is also tasked with searching and verifying any suspicions of negligence, misconduct, or criminal acts, as well as coordinating to facilitate the transfer of the bodies back to Libya.

The Libyan Presidential Council and the Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, alongside Libyan Army Commander Khalifa Haftar, mourned the Chief of Staff, Mohamed Al-Haddad, following the plane crash that was carrying him and several military officials from Ankara to Tripoli.

The Chief of Staff under Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh's government, Mohamed Al-Haddad, and his companions were killed when a "Falcon 50" aircraft crashed near Ankara on Tuesday evening, according to a reporter from "Sky News Arabia."

Dbeibeh announced on his official "Facebook" account the deaths of the Chief of Staff and his companions, including the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, Major General Al-Fitouri Gharibil, the Director of the Military Manufacturing Authority, Brigadier General Mahmoud Al-Qatiwi, the advisor to the Chief of Staff, Mohamed Al-Asawi Diab, and the photographer at the office of the Chief of Staff of the General Staff, Mohamed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub.

Dbeibeh stated that the death of Al-Haddad and his companions came "following a tragedy and painful incident while returning from an official trip from Ankara."

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed losing contact with a plane carrying the Chief of Staff of Dbeibeh's government and four other individuals.

He added on his account on the "X" platform: "The plane was heading from Ankara to Tripoli and requested an emergency landing in the Ankara area, but communication was lost thereafter."

A video clip recorded images of an explosion that occurred in the area close to the point where communication with the aircraft was lost.