Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are managing the situation on-site. A tragic incident unfolded on Friday afternoon at the Dubai Air Show when an Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display, erupting into flames and sending a dense column of black smoke above Al Maktoum International Airport. The IAF confirmed that the pilot died in the accident.
“An IAF Tejas aircraft was involved in an accident during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show today. The pilot received fatal injuries. The Indian Air Force deeply mourns this loss and stands in solidarity with the family at this difficult time. A court of inquiry has been initiated to determine the cause of the mishap.”
The aircraft involved was a single-seat Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Eyewitness accounts and footage indicate the jet went down at approximately 2:10 pm local time. Dubai government officials stated that firefighting units and emergency responders arrived promptly and are handling the situation on the ground. Images after the crash show severely burnt and twisted remnants of the Tejas scattered across the site.
Author’s summary: The Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show led to the pilot’s death, with authorities launching a court of inquiry to investigate the cause while emergency teams contained the scene.