F-16 Fighting Falcon News

May 13, 2013 (by Asif Shamim) - Turkish rescue teams have found the wreckage of a Turkish Airforce F-16C block 50 which crashed close to the Syrian border. The pilot Lt. Hamza Gümüşsoy ejected, but did not survive.
The F-16 is believed to be from either 151 or 152 Filo based at Fifth airbase 5th Jet Base in Merzifon. It was on an operational mission flying over the Amanos Mountains in the Southern province of Osmaniye when contact was lost around 14.15h local time.

According to statement put out by the Turkish Armed Forces said the last communique from the pilot was "I'm ejecting".

Anatolia news agency reports Osmaniye governor Celalettin Cerrah said a cockpit canopy and some other pieces of the aircraft had been found in the Caksir area.

Turkish civilians in the village of Yarpuz report hearing a load bang. Yarpuz is about 25km (16 miles) from the Syrian border.

An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the loss.

A Turkish F-4 Phantom was shot down by Syria over the Mediterranean in June 2012, after Syrian forces said it had entered the country's airspace.