Military helicopter crashes in southern Turkey, killing 4

A military helicopter crashed in southern Turkiye on Thursday (November 12, 2026), killing four personnel, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.

The aircraft crashed for unknown reasons in Samankoy, a neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of the provincial capital Malatya in the evening.

“As a result of an accident involving our S-70 helicopter in Malatya, for a reason not yet determined, 4 of our heroic comrades-in-arms aboard the helicopter were martyred,” the Ministry said in a social media post. “We pray that God will have mercy on our martyrs and offer our condolences and prayers for strength to their grieving families, our Turkish Armed Forces, and our noble nation.”

TV images showed the wreckage of the helicopter burning near a cluster of buildings in an otherwise open area of land. The DemirorenNews Agency reported that flames had spread to a nearby house but reported no casualties on the ground.

Police, firefighters and medical teams were dispatched to the crash.

The Sikorsky S-70 is widely used as a transport helicopter by militaries across the world. Its variants include the Black Hawk, which can carry up to 11 soldiers plus its air crew.

The Turkish Air Force operates a large base — the 7th Main Jet Base — to the north of Malatya.