A Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed overnight near a major highway in western Turkey, killing its pilot, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday.
The aircraft had taken off from a base in Balikesir Province before contact with the pilot was lost at around 1.00 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Tuesday), according to a ministry statement posted on X.
The jet went down near a highway in the Karesi district of Balikesir, Anadolu Agency reported, citing Gov. İsmail Ustaoğlu.
Authorities temporarily closed the highway linking the cities of Izmir and Istanbul as emergency crews cleared debris from the scene.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and an investigation is underway. (dpa/NAN)
