Four Turkish military personnel were killed when an S-70 helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Malatya on Thursday, 12 November, the Turkish Defence Ministry has said.

The ministry said the cause of the crash had not yet been determined. “Four of our heroic comrades-in-arms on board were martyred when our S-70 helicopter crashed in Malatya for reasons that have not yet been determined,” it said in a statement.

All four personnel on board the aircraft lost their lives. The ministry did not name them, and no casualties were reported on the ground.

Crash in the early evening

The helicopter came down in the Samanköy neighbourhood of Yeşilyurt district, on the outskirts of the provincial capital Malatya, in the early evening. Turkish media put the time of the crash at about 18:45 local time.

Firefighters, medical teams and personnel from Turkey's disaster management agency, AFAD, were sent to the scene. The crash started a fire that spread to a nearby house before emergency crews put it out, the DHA news agency reported. No one on the ground was reported injured.

In an initial statement, issued before the deaths were announced, the Defence Ministry said rescue teams had reached the wreckage and begun search-and-rescue operations. An investigation into what caused the crash is continuing.

The aircraft

The S-70 is the export version of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, a twin-engine utility helicopter used by armed forces around the world for transport, search and rescue and other general duties. Turkey operates the type across its army, air force and gendarmerie, and also builds a locally produced version, the T-70.

The Defence Ministry gave no details of the flight's purpose or its destination, and it has not said whether weather, a technical fault or another factor played a part. Officials have said only that the reason for the crash is unknown and remains under investigation.

Earlier accidents

Turkey has suffered several fatal military helicopter accidents in recent years. In December 2024, six military personnel were killed when two helicopters collided during a training flight in the southwestern province of Isparta. One aircraft crashed, while the other landed safely.

In March 2021, a Cougar military helicopter crashed near Tatvan in the eastern province of Bitlis, killing 11 military personnel and injuring two others.

Thursday's crash is the latest loss for a military that relies heavily on helicopters to move troops and supplies across the country's mountainous east. Further details are expected once the Defence Ministry completes its initial investigation and releases the names of those killed.