Beriev Be-200 aircraft in Turkey on August 14, 2021
In the heart of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, a devastating incident occurred on August 14, 2021, when a Russian Navy Beriev Be-200 firefighting plane crashed. The plane was responding to a wildfire that had broken out in the Ilıca neighbourhood as a result of a lightning strike.
The aircraft, with a serial number of 03-11 and the factory number 64620090311, took off from Adana Airport at 13:46 to combat the flames. However, just before landing, the plane crashed, tragically claiming the lives of all eight individuals on board, including five Russian servicemen and three Turkish citizens [1].
The exact cause of the crash is not known, with no specific technical malfunction, weather condition, or operational error mentioned in the available sources. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the plane crashed during landing after a firefighting mission.
The Beriev Be-200, a twin-engine amphibious aircraft, had been chartered by the Turkish General Directorate of Forestry to aid in the fight against the extensive wildfires in Turkey. The plane that met its fate in Kahramanmaraş had previously malfunctioned during a mission on August 2, 2021, during the Manavgat fire.
The crew members aboard the ill-fated flight included the pilot, Serkan Mirzaoğlu, the forest engineer and General Directorate of Forestry Representative, Oguz Avşar Aydın, and other dedicated professionals such as Edip Uzunoğlu (coordinator), Vladislav Berkutov (co-pilot), Nikolay Omelchenko (radio operator), Evgeni Kuznetsov (captain pilot), Vadim Karasev (navigator), and Luri Chuborov (technician).
Three Beriev Be-200s were dispatched to Turkey on July 8 to assist in the firefighting efforts. The plane that crashed into Engizek Mountain at 14.35 local time in Turkey was the first of these aircraft to make its first flight on February 14, 2020.
[1] Sources: Turkish Ministries of Defence and Forestry, Russian Ministry of Defence, and local news outlets.
Image 1 Source: https://twitter.com/ChpNihatYesil/status/1426548684762845187/photo/1 Cover Photo Source: https://russianplanes.net/id269983
- The aviation history recalls the unfortunate crash of a Russian Navy Beriev Be-200 firefighting plane in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, on August 14, 2021, amidst the ongoing struggle against wildfires.
- The aviation industry has been impacted by a series of unresolved accidents, such as the one that took place near the Ilıca neighbourhood, which was attributed to an unknown cause and claimed eight lives.
- As science advancements continue to shape our world, it is crucial to address the complex interplay between climate change, environmental science, and the increased frequency of wildfires, as exemplified by the incident in Kahramanmaraş.
- In an incident that underscores the delicate link between various sectors, the crash of the Beriev Be-200 aircraft in Turkey had implications on both the environmental-science and finance industries, as well as the broader transportation sector, including the automotive industry.
- Medical-conditions and respiratory-conditions, particularly those related to smoke inhalation and fire-related injuries, are important considerations in any discussion surrounding major aviation accidents, as seen in the aftermath of the Kahramanmaraş plane crash.
