Caught on camera: Final moments of Tejas fighter jet crash at Dubai Airshow 2025

Dubai: Exclusively captured by Gulf News staff in Dubai, footage shows the final moments of the Indian Tejas fighter jet that crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow 2025, tragically killing the pilot.

The video, taken by Gulf News reporter at the site, shows the aircraft executing its manoeuvres just moments before it suddenly lost altitude and sharply descended toward open ground near spectators.

Spectators reacted in shock as a column of smoke rose from the crash site, with emergency and firefighting teams rushing to the scene immediately. The airshow was temporarily halted, and visitors were directed back to the exhibition areas as rescue operations continued.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the pilot’s death and said a court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. The Tejas jet is part of India’s home-grown light combat aircraft programme, designed for air defence and ground-attack missions.

Witnesses described the moments leading up to the crash as “shocking” and expressed grief over the loss of the pilot, highlighting the dramatic and tragic end to one of the Dubai Airshow’s final-day displays.