ANKARA, Turkey — Two French nationals were confirmed among the victims of a plane crash near Ankara that killed all eight people aboard, French diplomatic sources and Turkish authorities said.
The private Dassault Falcon 50 jet, chartered by a Malta-based company and carrying Libya’s Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ali Al-Haddad, crashed near Haymana district shortly after takeoff on December 23, 2025, while returning to Tripoli from an official visit to Ankara.
French diplomatic officials said that two French crew members died in the crash and that the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has been in contact with their families through the embassy in Turkey. Officials have not yet released their identities.
The crash also claimed the lives of five senior Libyan military officials, including General Al-Haddad and four advisers accompanying him. The jet reportedly declared an electrical emergency minutes after takeoff and attempted to return to the airport before losing contact.
Turkish, Libyan, and French investigators are conducting a joint probe into the cause of the accident, with wreckage and flight recorders recovered and expected to undergo detailed analysis.
The tragedy has drawn international attention, prompting condolences from officials across Libya, France, and Turkey as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.
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