Stories of Those Who Lost Their Lives in Helicopter Crash in Şırnak

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Cooger-type helicopter has tangled to a high voltage power line and crashed after taking off from the Şenoba Brigade Commandership in Uludere district in Şırnak. 13 soldiers have lost their lives.

The Governorship and General Staff announced that the helicopter tangling to a high voltage power line crashed at around 8:55 p.m. yesterday (May 31).

The names of the soldiers killed in the crash were published on Hürriyet as follows: Major General Aydoğan Aydın, Colonel Oğuzhan Küçükdemirkol, Colonel Gökhan Peker, Lt. Col. Songül Yakut, Major Koray Onay, Captain İlker Acar, Captain Nuri Şener, Sergeant Major Mehmet Erdoğan, Sergeant Major Zeki Koç, Pilot Captain Serhat Sığınak, Pilot Lieutenant Abdülmüttalip Kesikbaş, Sergeant Major Fevzi Kıral, Infantry Sergeant Major Hakan İncekal.

Major General Aydoğan Aydın

Aydın was 23rd Gendarmerie Border Division Commander. He was suspended on the grounds that his name was on the list of “coup plotters” following July 15, 2016. He was then reinstated to his job after it was declared that “him being listed among coup plotters was a mistake”.

Aged 51, Aydın was father of two and nephew of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) National Defense Commission President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tokat MP Yusuf Beyazıt.

Colonel Oğuzhan Küçükdemir

Küçükdemir (47) was born in İstanbul, married with two children.

Colonel Gökhan Peker

Peker (43) was born in İstanbul, married with two children.

Lt. Col. Songül Yakut

Yakut was born in Malatya in 1976. Yakut was listening to women’s problems concerning domestic violence in the regions where she was assigned to. For this reason, she was appointed as head of the Gendarmerie General Commandership Fighting Domestic Violence and Juvenile Unit in 2012. Yakut was also known as the first woman district gendarmerie commander.

Major Koray Onay