Türkiye's Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters at Istanbul's Atatürk International Airport that investigators must analyze flight recorder data before the cause of a plane crash in Iraq can be confirmed.
Yildirim had just returned from visiting the crash site. He noted that the aircraft carried Moldovan registration, placing primary legal responsibility with Moldovan civil aviation authorities rather than with Türkiye.
The minister said Türkiye had cooperated fully with the investigation and dispatched an official delegation to Baghdad to assist in the inquiry.
Yildirim dismissed speculation about whether the aircraft had been airworthy, calling such debate premature. He noted that civil aviation bodies regularly publish lists of unsafe aircraft and that those records are always consulted before flights are authorized. Airlines must provide valid pilot licenses and maintenance documentation before receiving clearance to operate, he added.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.