Britain has agreed to analyse the flight data recorder from a plane crash in Türkiye that killed a senior Libyan military delegation, in a move seen as central to establishing the cause of the fatal incident and ensuring an independent investigation.
Libyan officials confirmed that the black box from the Falcon 50 jet will be examined in the United Kingdom after a joint request from Libya and Türkiye. The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff on 23 December, killed Libya’s army chief of staff General Mohammed al-Haddad along with four senior aides and three crew members.
British Role in International Air Crash Investigation
Libya’s Government of National Unity said the decision to involve the UK was based on international aviation rules requiring neutrality in accident investigations. The UK was accepted by both Libya and Türkiye as a technically capable and impartial party.
Mohamed al-Chahoubi, Libya’s transport minister, said coordination had taken place directly with British authorities and that the UK had formally agreed to conduct the analysis in cooperation with Turkish investigators and Libyan officials.
United Kingdom has extensive experience in aviation accident investigations and hosts internationally recognised facilities capable of analysing flight recorders from complex incidents.
Why Britain Was Chosen
Libyan officials said Germany had initially been approached but requested French involvement. Libya rejected that option, arguing that France could not be considered neutral because the aircraft was French-manufactured and two of the crew members were French nationals.
Under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, countries involved in manufacturing or operating an aircraft are restricted from leading certain aspects of crash investigations. Britain was therefore accepted as a neutral alternative by both Libya and Türkiye.
Libya and Türkiye submitted a joint request to the UK earlier this week seeking technical and legal support for the black box analysis.
Crash Killed Libya’s Army Chief
General Mohammed al-Haddad, a highly influential military figure, was returning from official talks in Ankara when the jet crashed shortly after takeoff. Turkish authorities have said an electrical failure was the likely cause, but Libyan officials stressed that definitive conclusions must await flight data analysis.
Haddad served as chief of staff of forces aligned with Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and was regarded as a unifying figure in a country still divided between rival eastern and western administrations.
His death has prompted widespread mourning across Libya, where he was seen as a stabilising presence amid years of political fragmentation and armed conflict.
Black Box Recovery and Next Steps
The aircraft’s flight data recorder was recovered from farmland near the crash site and is expected to be transferred to the UK under secure conditions. Libyan officials said the time required to extract usable data will depend on the condition of the device.
British authorities have not publicly commented on timelines but are expected to follow standard international procedures once the recorder arrives.
Findings to Be Made Public
Libyan officials said the investigation’s findings would be made public once analysis is complete, urging the public and media to avoid speculation in the meantime.
The crash comes amid renewed international focus on aviation safety and military travel protocols following several high-profile incidents worldwide involving government and defence aircraft.
