A witness statement cited by journalist Ece Sevim Öztürk says then-National Defense Minister Fikri Işık was the passenger who landed at Dalaman Airport on a VIP military aircraft and traveled by helicopter to visit President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Marmaris on July 14, 2016, one day before Turkey’s coup attempt.
Öztürk published the statement of noncommissioned officer Gürkan Dirik, who was stationed in the area at the time.
According to Dirik’s testimony, a Cessna 650 VIP military aircraft landed at Dalaman Airport at 12:55 p.m. on July 14.
Dirik said Işık then boarded a helicopter that flew to Marmaris and landed at the Grand Yazıcı Hotel, where Erdoğan was staying.
Öztürk said the aircraft used for the trip was normally allocated to Turkish Armed Forces force commanders.
The testimony is significant because Işık has publicly said he visited Erdoğan that day to discuss the upcoming Supreme Military Council, or YAŞ, meeting, but did not disclose that he traveled on a military aircraft.
YAŞ is Turkey’s top military appointments and promotions body.
“In statements to newspapers, Işık said he visited Erdoğan on that date to discuss the YAŞ meeting. But he did not mention going on a military plane,” Öztürk said.
Öztürk also said earlier claims had suggested then-Air Force Commander Abidin Ünal was on the flight, but that those allegations had not been supported by evidence.
The new testimony places Işık at the center of another disputed pre-coup movement involving senior civilian and military figures in the days immediately before July 15.
Questions about Erdoğan’s stay in Marmaris, who visited him before the coup attempt and which military aircraft were used have remained part of the broader debate over unresolved details surrounding that period.
