Istanbul, Feb 25, (dpa/GNA) – An F-16 fighter jet crashed overnight in western Turkey, next to a major highway, killing its pilot, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
The aircraft had taken off from a base in the western province of Balikesir, and contact with the pilot was lost around 1 am (2200 GMT Tuesday), the ministry said in a statement on X.
The exact cause of the crash was not immediately clear, while the ministry said an investigation is underway.
The jet went down near a highway in the central Karesi district of Balikesir, state news agency Anadolu quoted Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu as saying.
The highway connecting the cities of Izmir and Istanbul is temporarily closed, according to Anadolu, which published images showing emergency crews clearing debris from the scene.