Indian Pilot Killed After Tejas Fighter Jet Crashes at Dubai Airshow

ISTANBUL: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow on Friday, killing its pilot, according to an official statement from the IAF.

The crash occurred at around 2.10pm local time (1210 GMT) at the Al Maktoum International Airport, Indian broadcaster NDTV reported. Videos circulating on social media showed the single-seater light combat aircraft plunging to the ground before erupting into a massive plume of smoke.

“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,” the IAF said in a statement, adding that it “deeply regrets” the loss of its personnel.

The air force expressed its condolences to the pilot’s family, saying it “stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”

The IAF has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

The Tejas, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is India’s homegrown light combat aircraft and a key component of the country’s defense modernization efforts. The Dubai crash marks the second incident involving a Tejas jet in less than two years.

In March last year, a Tejas fighter crashed in Rajasthan, India, the first such incident in the aircraft’s 23-year history since its maiden test flight in 2001. The pilot in that case ejected safely.

The latest crash has raised fresh concerns about the aircraft’s safety record and may prompt further scrutiny of the Tejas program as investigations continue.