Turkey's Ministry of National Defence confirmed on March 22 that three Turkish nationals were among the seven killed in the Qatari military helicopter crash, including one Turkish Armed Forces officer and two technicians from ASELSAN, Turkey's state-owned defence electronics company.

Defence Minister Yasar Guler identified the dead as Air Force Air Defence Major Sinan Tastekin, and ASELSAN technicians Suleyman Cemre Kahraman and Ismail Enes Can.

The helicopter, belonging to the Qatari armed forces, was conducting training operations under the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command when it suffered a technical malfunction and crashed into the sea on March 21.

The presence of ASELSAN personnel on board points to the depth of Turkish defence industry involvement in Qatar's military operations. ASELSAN is Turkey's largest defence electronics firm and supplies air defence, surveillance and communications systems to allied militaries across the region.

Turkey's defence ministry said search and rescue teams had recovered the wreckage and the remains of all seven personnel. The cause of the crash will be determined by a Qatari investigation.

"Military cooperation and coordination activities between the Republic of Turkey and the State of Qatar continue uninterrupted within the framework of existing agreements and plans," the ministry said.

Turkey maintains a military garrison in Qatar under a 2014 bilateral defence agreement. The base has taken on added significance since the Iran war began, with Qatar's armed forces under sustained pressure from Iranian missile and drone strikes.