DUBAI/NEW DELHI, Nov 21: The pilot of a Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force was killed on Friday after the indigenous multi-role Light Combat Aircraft crashed in a ball of fire during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show.
It was for the second time in 20 months that the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) manufactured by the state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) was involved in a crash.
The earlier accident occurred in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in March last year but the pilot ejected safely.
As the crash inside the grounds of an airfield in Dubai cast a tragic shadow on an otherwise mega spectacle on the last day of the event in the desert city, visuals of the accident aired on TV channels showed the jet abruptly dropping height after what looked like a low-altitude manoeuvre and then nosedived into the ground in a matter of seconds before being engulfed in a ball of fire.
Black smoke billowed over the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, as horrified spectators, including women and children, seated at a grand stand area behind a fenced airstrip watched in shock.
The single-engine light weight aircraft crashed around 2:10 pm local time (3.40 pm IST) after the pilot had flown across the site of the prestigious air show in Dubai during the demonstration flight.
The aerial display of Tejas was scheduled to last eight minutes.
“An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”
“A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident,” the IAF said in a brief statement posted on its X handle.
PILOT IDENTIFIED
The IAF pilot, who was killed on Friday, has been identified as Wg Cdr Naman Syal.Wg Cdr Naman Syal was a resident of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh.An official said that the pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.The IAF has also called a court inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply anguished at the loss of a “brave and courageous IAF pilot”.
“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The nation stands firmly with the family in this tragic hour,” he said in a post of X.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan said the armed forces stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.The Congress condoled the death of the pilot, with Rahul Gandhi saying the nation stands with his family honouring his courage and service.
The local media in the UAE carried some eyewitness accounts.
“It was a wonderful show until this tragic accident occurred, shocking all of us. From the way the flight turned before it went down, I strongly feel the pilot tried to save the spectators. It’s so unfortunate that he couldn’t escape. We are deeply saddened that someone died before our eyes, and the pain is even greater knowing it was an Indian fighter jet pilot,” according to Indian expat Shajudheen Jabbar, who witnessed the show along with his family, as quoted by Gulf News.
Another local resident Winston Lobo said the impact of the crash was felt in the nearby community.
“It happened very close to my house. I heard a loud bang. I honestly thought piles of pipes had tumbled down.” “The jet went down in a rubble area very close to our area,” said Lobo, who has lived in the UAE for 18 years.According to an AP report, the air show resumed flight demonstrations about an hour and a half after the crash, with the Russian Knights flying overhead as emergency crews still worked the crash site.As sirens wailed, Police and emergency personnel could be seen at the crash site afterward, with firefighting foam sprayed across the road. An SUV bearing diplomatic plates flying the Indian flag also could be seen, it said. (PTI)
