A routine training flight turned into a dramatic emergency Wednesday when a Turkish Air Force F-16 crashed in the Yalova province south of Istanbul. The pilot ejected safely, the report said, as emergency crews rushed to the crash site after thick black smoke was seen billowing from the area.

The event is attracting attention because the F-16 is one of the most widespread fighter aircraft in the Turkish Air Force and is central to the country's military aviation operations.

Available information indicates that the plane crashed in Yalova during a training mission. Images on the web appeared to show large plumes of smoke near the scene of the crash, highlighting the scale of the incident.

The Defense Ministry said the pilot survived the crash, ejecting successfully from the aircraft. There were no other injuries, the early report said.

Emergency response teams were sent to the scene and authorities started investigating the cause of the fighter jet crash. Officials have not publicly confirmed what caused the incident, whether it was due to mechanical failure, human factors, the weather or something else.

The investigation will be closely followed by authorities, who will try to piece together the final moments of the aircraft and understand what happened in the accident.

For now, the pilot’s safe ejection is the key development in the incident. Investigators are still searching thru the wreckage and collecting information from the training flight, more details are expected.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)