Libya’s prime minister said Tuesday he has received information confirming the death of the country’s army chief of staff after a private jet carrying him lost radio contact near Turkey’s capital, Ankara.
Abdulhamid Dbeibah, head of Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Unity, said he had been informed of the death of Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad after the aircraft lost contact while flying over the Ankara region.
A video purportedly showing the crash circulated online
Dbeibah mourned al-Haddad’s death and said the army chief of staff had been traveling with others, including senior military officials.
Turkish authorities earlier said the private jet lost contact shortly after taking off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport en route to Tripoli. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the aircraft had requested an emergency landing before communication was lost.
Initial reports of a crash had not been officially confirmed by Turkish authorities at the time, though unverified footage circulated online purportedly showing the plane going down south of Ankara.
Al-Haddad had been visiting Ankara for meetings with senior Turkish officials before boarding the flight.
Turkish and Libyan officials have not yet released further details on the circumstances of the incident or the fate of the other passengers aboard the aircraft.