ISTANBUL, August 12, 2026 (Agencies) — A Turkish military F-16 fighter jet crashed on Wednesday during a training flight in the northwestern province of Yalova, with the pilot ejecting safely and surviving the incident, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said.
The aircraft came down in Yalova province, where videos circulated by local media showed a large plume of black smoke rising from a field following the crash.
The Defence Ministry did not immediately provide details on what caused the aircraft to crash. An investigation is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. No deaths or other casualties were immediately reported.
The incident comes months after another Turkish F-16 crashed after departing from Balikesir, killing its pilot, Major ?brahim Bolat, according to Turkey’s Defence Ministry. The cause of that February crash was left to an investigation.
The F-16 is one of the main fighter aircraft operated by the Turkish Air Force, which has a large fleet of the US-designed multirole fighter.
Further details about Wednesday’s crash, including the aircraft’s exact location and the circumstances that led to the pilot’s ejection, were not immediately available.