Dubai, UAE – The Dubai Government Media Office announced a tragic accident today, resulting in the death of an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, after his HAL Tejas multi-role fighter jet crashed while participating in the air show accompanying the Dubai Airshow.
The media office confirmed that the relevant teams intervened immediately to deal with the incident, and the situation was brought under control.
Details of the incident
The incident occurred at approximately 2:10 PM Dubai time, while the aircraft was performing aerobatic maneuvers at a low altitude in front of the public.
According to testimonies, visual documents, and videos circulating on social media, the plane suddenly descended towards the ground and crashed into it forcefully, causing it to explode into a huge ball of flame and thick black smoke to rise.
The Indian Air Force confirmed that the pilot was unable to eject and parachute, resulting in his immediate death. The official statement read: “The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. We deeply regret the loss of life and stand with the bereaved family during this difficult time.”
Evacuation and emergency response
Fire and ambulance crews rushed to the scene and were able to control the fire without any injuries being reported among visitors or employees.
All visitors were immediately evacuated from the exhibition, and the remaining scheduled air shows were cancelled, while ground activities continued until the end of the exhibition.
The Dubai Media Office stated: “The response was swift, and the situation is currently being dealt with.”
