What was intended to be a spectacular display of the Indian-made Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Airshow ended in a tragic crash on Friday afternoon. The Indian Air Force pilot failed to eject in time and died as the aircraft caught fire. After witnessing this terrible accident, attendees at the airshow looked shocked. The Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander was an accomplished pilot.
The airshow was scheduled to last eight minutes but ended abruptly after the jet went down, killing the pilot. While his identity was not immediately revealed, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu later confirmed on X that the pilot was Namansh Syal, a resident of the northern Indian state’s Kangra district.
The minister said, “The news of the death of Namansh Syal, a brave son of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, in the Tejas aircraft accident at the Dubai Air Show, is deeply heartbreaking and shocking. The country has lost a brave, dedicated, and courageous pilot. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family.”
The 34-year-old Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force was a resident of Patialkadh in Nagrota Bagwan tehsil. According to local media in Himachal Pradesh, his wife also serves as a senior officer in the IAF. They have a daughter. His father, Jagarnath Syal, is a retired IAF officer who later worked in the Education Department and was serving at the Air Force Station in Hyderabad.
Namansh Syal Was a Highly Capable Pilot
He was a highly capable display pilot with No. 45 Squadron, Flying Daggers, from Sulur Air Base. He is said to have mesmerized audiences at Aero India and several national air shows with his superb flying skills. He was flying the HAL Tejas, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), equipped with a foreign engine. This crash is the second known Tejas accident but the first fatal accident at an international air show.
Also Read: Pilot Dies as Tejas Fighter Jet Crashes and Catches Fire at Dubai Air Show
India Mourns the death of Namnash Syal
The Indian Air Force expressed deep sorrow over the pilot’s death in a post on X and said a court of inquiry is being set up to determine the cause of the accident. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Indian aerospace major that manufactures the Tejas aircraft, said it was deeply saddened by the loss of the “courageous IAF pilot” during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show.
The Indian Air Force participated in the Dubai Airshow with the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team and the LCA Tejas. India has been regularly participating in airshows for several decades, showcasing its latest innovations and technologies.