Babaeski Babaeski (Greek: Αρτεσκός) is a town in Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. It is the seat of Babaeski District.

Kırklareli Kırklareli () is a city in the East Thrace, European part of Turkey. It is the seat of Kırklareli Province and Kırklareli District.Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force () is the Air force, air and space force of the Turkish Armed Forces. It traces its origins to 1 June 1911 when it was founded as the Ottoman Aviation Squadrons, Aviation Squadrons by the Ottoman Empire. It was composed ...

Northrop F-5 The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models: the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants, and th ...

crashed during a

military exercise A military exercise, training exercise, maneuver (manoeuvre), or war game is the employment of military resources in Military education and training, training for military operations. Military exercises are conducted to explore the effects of ...

, killing 35 and injuring more than 72 soldiers. 31 more soldiers died later from their injuries. The crash is still the worst military air disaster in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

's history as of May 2024.

Event

On 22 September 1981

Turkish Armed Forces The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; , TSK) are the armed forces, military forces of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey. The TAF consist of the Turkish Army, Land Forces, the Turkish Navy, Naval Forces and the Turkish Air Force, Air Forces. The Chief of ...

, were conducting a

Babaeski Babaeski (Greek: Αρτεσκός) is a town in Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. It is the seat of Babaeski District.

Kırklareli Kırklareli () is a city in the East Thrace, European part of Turkey. It is the seat of Kırklareli Province and Kırklareli District.Northrop F-5 The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models: the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants, and th ...

. According to a surviving soldier, the jet hit a hill and crashed into the soldiers. 35 soldiers had died and more than 70 were injured. 31 more passed away days later. A river near the exercise saved some soldiers from burning. Most of the soldiers' bodies were burnt badly. Eight of them could not be identified.

Memorial

A memorial site was erected in early 2000. The soldiers that died have their graves there. Every year on September 22, a ceremony takes place on the memorial site.

References

{{reflist Aviation accidents and incidents in 1981 Aviation accidents and incidents in Turkey Accidents and incidents involving military aircraft 1981 disasters in Turkey September 1981 in Turkey

Event

Memorial

See also

References