Senior Libyan Officials Among Falcon 50 Crash Fatalities

A Maltese-registered Dassault Falcon 50 has crashed en route from Turkey to Libya, killing all eight onboard, including the chief of staff of the Libyan Armed Forces. An international investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the crash.

General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Hallad was among the senior military delegation returning to Tripoli after meetings with their Turkish counterparts. However, after taking off from Ankara Esenboga on the evening of December 23, the flight crew requested an emergency landing some 20 minutes into the journey. Flight tracking data indicates the jet descended rapidly before squawking the emergency code 7700 just seconds later. Communication could not be reestablished.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah described the crash as a “tragic accident” on social media, while the Turkish Ministry of Justice told global news outlet Al Jazeera that “initial reports from the investigation rule out any sabotage.”

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that an approximately 3-sq-km debris field was identified near Kesikkavak village in the Haymana district. Turkey’s Transport Investigation Center formally opened an investigation while more than 400 personnel worked to secure the scene and retrieve wreckage. Harmony Jets and Dassault Falcon technical advisors were also in attendance onsite.

French civil investigation agency BEA confirmed that three of its investigators were participating in the investigation, accompanied by a 22-member Libyan delegation. “We are also very curious about [the cause of the crash], but this data will reveal the cause, and the authorities will share the findings,” stated Yerlikaya. Three days of national mourning have been held in Libya.

Dassault Falcon 50

Maltese aircraft management company Harmony Jets acquired the 37-year-old trijet some eight years ago from a private operator registered in San Marino, where it had been stored for two years before being returned to flight. Last month, it had been used for a medevac mission. However, the aircraft has also been the source of controversy in the hands of its current operator: it was detained by French authorities for five months in 2024 over allegations of controversial military goods transport.

In 2021, Harmony Jets CEO Pierre-Olivier Edouard stated that typical flight profiles for the charter company included going “where the others usually are not interested, and at the best possible price,” with no specific mission profile or destination. In a statement following the crash, Harmony Jets said it would “avoid speculation and share information only when it is confirmed.”

Harmony Jets’ all-Dassault fleet is maintained by its sister company, Harmony Aircraft Services, which opened its second MRO base earlier this year.