13.11.2026 09:41
A heart-wrenching detail has emerged regarding the helicopter crash in Yeşilyurt district of Malatya, in which 4 soldiers were martyred. According to information obtained from the region after the crash, the pilots in the helicopter made great efforts to protect residential areas during the fall. It was stated that thanks to this intervention by the soldiers, who were reported to have tried to prevent the helicopter from falling onto the village, a much greater disaster was prevented.
In Samanköy Neighborhood of Yeşilyurt district of Malatya, after a helicopter crash that occurred in the evening hours and in which 4 soldiers were martyred, striking information regarding the pilots' final moments was shared.
Speaking on Sözcü TV live broadcast, Turhan Çömez stated that according to information he received from the region, the pilots made a special effort to prevent the helicopter from falling onto a residential area.
Çömez said, "The pilots made a special effort by taking that residential area into consideration. I received this information from the region. Being close to the residential area could have caused the disaster to be experienced in a much larger way, but our experienced pilots prevented the disaster with great effort. The soldiers made a great effort to prevent the helicopter from falling onto the village. The surroundings, conditions, and the helicopter were managed very well."
"THIS IS A VERY HEROIC ATTITUDE"
Journalist Fikret Bila, in his assessment regarding the crash, drew attention to the helicopter's high maneuverability and the experience of Turkish pilots spanning many years.
Bila said, "This helicopter type is a type used extensively by us militarily. It is a helicopter type used in cross-border journeys. As journalists, this is a helicopter type that we have boarded many times during cross-border operations and seen to have high maneuverability. Our pilots are among the best pilots in the world. They gained great experience throughout the fight against terrorism. Therefore, there may not be a very major piloting error. Of course, we must wait for the crash investigation report. We can also say that our martyred pilots flew very close to a settlement and during the fall tried to bring the helicopter down outside the residential area. This is a very heroic attitude."
PIECES BREAKING OFF THE HELICOPTER HIT A HOUSE
After the crash, the fire that broke out at the point where the helicopter fell spread to a nearby house. With the intervention of teams, the flames were brought under control and extinguished.
It was reported that pieces breaking off from the helicopter during the crash hit a house, and 2 people in the house were slightly injured.
IT WAS STATED THAT A GREATER DISASTER WAS PREVENTED
According to information conveyed from the region, it is assessed that if the helicopter had fallen into the residential area, many houses could have been damaged. The claim that the pilots tried to move the helicopter away from the residential area in the final moments has not yet been confirmed by the official crash investigation report.
The exact cause of the crash and what happened during the fall will become clear after the technical investigation to be conducted.
THE AREA WHERE THE HELICOPTER CRASHED WAS FILMED
The area where the crash occurred was filmed at daybreak. It was seen that the helicopter fell onto land close to the residential area and that its broken pieces spread over a wide area, with one piece destroying a house's garden wall.
Teams' work in the region continues.
THE IDENTITIES OF OUR 4 MARTYRED SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
In the statement made by the Ministry of National Defense, the names of our soldiers who were martyred in the crash were shared with the public. The identities of our martyrs are as follows:
- Army Pilot Major Erdem Çimen
- Army Pilot Major Orhun Pınar
- Non-Commissioned Officer Senior First Sergeant Hüseyin Zehir
- Non-Commissioned Officer Senior Sergeant Serkan Önder
The Ministry emphasized that the cause of the crash has not yet been determined and made the following statement:
"As a result of our S-70 type helicopter crashing in Malatya for a reason not yet determined, 4 heroic comrades-in-arms on board were martyred. We wish God's mercy upon our martyrs, and offer our condolences and patience to their grieving families, the Turkish Armed Forces, and our noble nation."