2021 Turkish Air Force Eurocopter AS532 Cougar crash
| Company type | Military |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense, Aviation |
| Headquarters | Turkey |
| Products | Military aircraft operations |
| Owner | Government of Turkey |
The 2021 Turkish Air Force Eurocopter AS532 Cougar accident took place on 4 March 2021, involving a Turkish Air Force (TAF) Eurocopter AS532 Cougar helicopter that was traveling to Tatvan District in Bitlis, Turkey. The aircraft crashed within Bitlis Province, resulting in the deaths of eleven Turkish military personnel, among them Lieutenant General Osman Erbaş, who commanded the 8th Corps. Two service members survived the incident. Initially, five injured individuals were admitted to hospitals; however, three later passed away due to their wounds.
This incident represented the fourth deadly crash involving this helicopter type within Turkey, culminating in a total of 39 fatalities, including two senior officers.
Crash
The TAF Eurocopter AS532 Cougar took off from Bingöl at 10:55 am GMT, heading towards Tatvan in Bitlis Province, a region primarily inhabited by Kurds where Turkish forces have been engaged against militants from the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Communication was lost around 11:25 am GMT. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence confirmed that the crash happened near Tatvan in a mountainous zone characterized by snow and poor visibility owing to dense cloud cover. Local residents promptly arrived to aid survivors; one individual was found partially trapped beneath debris and snow.
At first, eight soldiers died instantly and five were injured. Among the wounded was Lieutenant General Erbaş, who later died along with two others from their injuries.
Aftermath
Following the crash, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the event and confirmed that medical evacuation efforts for the wounded were underway. An immediate inquiry into the cause was initiated. Search and rescue operations were launched employing an unmanned aerial vehicle, a CASA/IPTN CN-235 transport plane, and a helicopter.
Domestic
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to the Turkish public and Armed Forces. Other top officials such as Vice President Fuat Oktay, the Ministry of National Defence, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca also expressed their sympathies. Opposition figures Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (CHP) and Devlet Bahçeli (MHP) extended their condolences as well.
International
The U.S. embassy in Ankara conveyed heartfelt condolences and wished a speedy recovery for those injured. Expressions of sympathy also came from EU Delegation Head Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who personally reached out to Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov sent messages of sorrow and condolences to Turkey.