Libyan army chief of staff’s plane did not explode midair, report says

Thursday 22 January 2026 - 13:30

By: Sahili Aya

Libyan army chief of staff’s plane did not explode midair, report says

The private aircraft carrying Libya’s chief of staff, which crashed near the Turkish capital Ankara in late December, did not explode while in flight, according to a preliminary investigation cited by Turkey’s state news agency.

Initial findings released by the Ankara prosecutor’s office indicate that the Falcon 50 aircraft struck a hillside while its engines were operating at full power. On board were the Libyan army’s chief of staff, four of his advisers and three crew members, including two French nationals.

Investigators reported that the aircraft remained intact until the moment of impact. The crash occurred on the evening of December 23, roughly half an hour after the plane took off from Ankara bound for Tripoli. At this stage, authorities have not reached a definitive conclusion regarding the cause of the accident.

Shortly after the crash, amateur footage circulated in Turkish media showing flashes of light in the sky, while local residents said they heard a loud noise resembling an explosion. However, the preliminary report does not support the theory of an in-flight blast.

Turkish authorities initially suggested the aircraft may have suffered an electrical malfunction. The flight data recorder, recovered the following day, was sent for analysis to a neutral country. On January 1, the government in Tripoli announced that the United Kingdom had agreed to conduct the examination.

The aircraft, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation, had been chartered from Malta-based operator Harmony Jets, which carries out fleet maintenance in Lyon, France.