A single-engine M20J type private jet piloted by Mehmet Demirci crashed near the Bayburt-Erzurum-Rize border region in Turkey on July 2, 2025. The aircraft, which had departed from Sivrihisar and was en route to Rize as part of a world tour, collided with a mountain near the summit of the Kaçkar Mountains. Two people were on board: pilot Mehmet Demirci and passenger Hicran Kaya. Rescue teams, including AFAD, health, and search and rescue units from Bayburt, Erzurum, and Rize, were dispatched to the crash site. After extensive search efforts, the wreckage was located by JAK teams. Mehmet Demirci was found deceased, while Hicran Kaya was rescued alive but injured and transported by military helicopter to Erzurum City Hospital. During the incident, Kaya reportedly contacted emergency services, stating, "Our plane crashed into the mountain," indicating the critical condition of those onboard. The pilot had obtained permissions for 32 airports as part of his global flight plan, intending to continue to Kazakhstan after Rize. Authorities, including Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş, confirmed the crash details and the status of the occupants.