Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 22 (ANI): A Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot. Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) said the incident has “shaken up the whole system” and said that a court of inquiry will investigate possible mechanical or technical causes.
Speaking to ANI, Sanjeev Kapoor said, “The ill-fated Tejas crash a little while ago in Dubai has actually shaken up the whole system… The reasons could be mechanical. The reason could be the malfunction of fly-by-wire or any control surface. The sabotage angle would also be looked at by the court of inquiry team. The FDR and CVR would be extracted… At this stage, to speculate and to say what could have gone wrong is incorrect, and to have lost a brother in arms is very sad…”
In a recent development, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) expressed its condolences on X, stating, “HAL is deeply saddened by the loss of the courageous IAF pilot during the aerial display at the Dubai Air Show. HAL expresses its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.”
Defence expert Shiwalee Deshpande expressed sorrow over the IAF Tejas crash in Dubai, urging patience as the court of inquiry investigates the cause.
“The whole country is with the family, and such accidents should not happen. However, a court of inquiry has been ordered into it; let’s wait to see the result. The country is deeply saddened by the loss of a very, very capable pilot. Let’s wait for further investigations to see the real reason for this,” Deshpande told ANI.
Earlier, the Indian Air Force announced the death of the Pilot after a Tejas aircraft crashed and burst into flames at the Dubai Air Show 2025 on Friday.
“An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at the 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 statement by the Indian Air Force said.
The IAF said a court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident in which the pilot succumbed to fatal injuries.
The plane went down while performing an aerial display before a large crowd, local media reported.
Khaleej Times reported that the fighter jet crashed into the ground soon after take-off. Photos and videos shared online show plumes of black smoke billowing into the air from the aircraft on the ground.
The news outlet cited one eyewitness as saying, “As soon as the plane took off, it crashed. I am not sure which aircraft it was.”
Another eyewitness cited by the Khaleej Times said that helicopters and firefighters rushed to the scene.
“It is all clear now,” he said. “Within about 45 minutes, the entire incident was taken care of. We are not sure if the programme will restart.”
Gulf News reported that the show was temporarily halted, and visitors were directed back to the exhibition area. Rescue operations began immediately, it said.
The Dubai Airshow, one of the largest airshows in the world, kicked off on November 17 and is set to run till November 24. More than 1,500 exhibitors are exhibiting at the show. (ANI)
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