KIRKLARELI — 1981 · Major Tragedy
The Pancarköy Disaster
On 22 September 1981, at Karabatak near the village of Pancarköy in the Babaeski district of Kırklareli, a military disaster occurred during the Yıldırım-81 exercise. An F-5 fighter jet that had taken off from the 6th Main Jet Base in Bandırma crashed at around 13:30 onto a military unit assembled in the exercise area. Thirty-five people, including the pilot, died at the scene; 30 of the seriously injured later died in hospital, bringing the total to 65. Sources do not give a definitive explanation of why the aircraft came down on the unit. It is recorded as one of the deadliest peacetime military accidents in Turkey. A martyrs' cemetery was established at the crash site, and the soldiers are commemorated there with a ceremony every 22 September.
- Date
- 1981
- Place
- Babaeski (Pancarköy), Kırklareli
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 41.3900, 27.1700 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 22 September 1981During Exercise Yıldırım-81, an F-5 crashed onto a unit near Pancarköy; 35 died.
- September-October 1981Thirty of the seriously injured died in hospital; the toll rose to 65.
- Later yearsA martyrs' cemetery was established at the crash site.
- Every 22 SeptemberThe soldiers are commemorated at the cemetery.
Sources
- Vikipedi — Pancarköy Faciası tr.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia — Pancarköy air disaster en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Babaeski Gündem — Pancarköy şehitleri unutulmadı babaeskigundem.com ↗
- Turkish Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
- Babaeski Gündem
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.