Four Turkish soldiers are being mourned today after their Sikorsky S-70 military helicopter suffered a fatal crash in the Samanköy neighborhood of Malatya’s Yeşilyurt district.
The tragedy, which occurred during a routine mission, claimed the lives of Kara Pilot Binbaşı Erdem Çimen, Kara Pilot Binbaşı Orhun Pınar, Uçuş Helikopter Teknisyeni Astsubay Kıdemli Üstçavuş Hüseyin Zehir, and Uçuş Helikopter Teknisyeni Astsubay Kıdemli Çavuş Serkan Önder, according to Hürriyet. The aircraft, which has a capacity to carry up to 14 people, crashed during the evening hours.
The Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the helicopter experienced a crash for reasons that have not yet been determined. Following the impact, a fire broke out at the crash site and spread to a nearby house, though emergency teams were able to extinguish the flames, BBC reported.
The Malatya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the incident, tasking one deputy chief prosecutor and two public prosecutors with the case.
Following a ceremony at Malatya Airport, the soldiers’ remains were transported to Ankara. A formal ceremony was held at the Mürted Air Base Command to honor the fallen, attended by family members, Chief of General Staff Orgeneral Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, and force commanders, as noted by TRT Haber. During the ceremony, the soldiers’ resumes were read, a moment of silence was observed, and prayers were offered.
🇹🇷 Malatya'da askeri helikopterin kaza kırıma uğraması sonucu şehit olan 4 askerden 3'ü, Ankara'da düzenlenen törenle memleketlerine uğurlandı 📌 Şehit Erdem Çimen'in cenazesi İzmir'e, Hüseyin Zehir'in Hatay'a, Serkan Önder'in ise Kayseri'ye gönderildi 📌 Şehitlerin Türk… pic.twitter.com/Ww25dxnSRY
Funeral Arrangements and Tributes
Kara Pilot Binbaşı Orhun Pınar, 37, was laid to rest in Ankara following a funeral service at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque. The ceremony was attended by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, BBP leader Mustafa Destici, and various military and civilian officials. His mother, Ayşe Pınar, attended in a wheelchair, while his four-year-old son, Bulut Pınar, remained by the coffin.
He was interred at the Cimşit Cemetery. Other soldiers are scheduled for burials in their respective hometowns following afternoon prayers: Erdem Çimen in İzmir’s Kadifekale Air Martyrs’ Cemetery, Hüseyin Zehir in Hatay’s Payas Martyrs’ Cemetery, and Serkan Önder in Kayseri at the Seyid Burhaneddin Mosque. Zehir is survived by his wife and a three-year-old son.
Government officials and international partners offered condolences. Rabb’im şehitlerimizin mekanlarını cennet, makamlarını ali eylesin,” according to Anadolu Agency.
“S-70 tipi helikopterimizin henüz belirlenemeyen bir sebeple Malatya’da kaza kırıma uğraması sonucu, helikopterde bulunan 4 kahraman silah arkadaşımız şehit olmuştur.”
The Ministry added, “Mekanları cennet olsun.”
More on Four Turkish
S-70 tipi helikopterimizin henüz belirlenemeyen bir sebeple Malatya’da kaza kırıma uğraması sonucu, helikopterde bulunan 4 kahraman silah arkadaşımız şehit olmuştur. Şehitlerimize Allah’tan rahmet, kederli ailelerine, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri’mize ve asil milletimize başsağlığı…
🇹🇷 Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan, 12 Kasım'da Malatya'da S-70 tipi helikopterin kaza kırıma uğraması sonucu şehit olan: ▪️ Kara Pilot Binbaşı Erdem Çimen ▪️ Kara Pilot Binbaşı Orhun Pınar ▪️ Astsubay Kıdemli Üstçavuş Hüseyin Zehir ▪️ Astsubay Kıdemli Çavuş Serkan Önder'in ailelerine… pic.twitter.com/dHoKhnGSFg
