Tejas jet crash: IAF pilot Namansh Syal’s final moments go viral from Dubai Airshow
Earlier footage shows Wing Commander Namansh Syal meeting India’s top dignitaries
A Tejas fighter jet crash at the Dubai Air Show on Friday claimed the life of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Namansh Syal. The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas went down at Al Maktoum International Airport during a demonstration, with the IAF confirming the pilot sustained fatal injuries.
Footage from earlier in the day shows Syal meeting India’s Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal, and MEA Additional Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan, before posing for a group photograph.
In a statement on X, the IAF said: “An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
Unseen footage surfaces
Another video surfaces showing Wing Commander Namansh Syal smiling moments before takeoff at the Dubai Airshow, shared by Twitter user Major Surendra Poonia.
Final moments captured on video
Footage captured by Gulf News shows the Tejas performing a sequence of manoeuvres before suddenly losing altitude and plunging towards open ground. A plume of smoke rose from the crash site as emergency crews rushed in.
The aerial displays were halted, and visitors were moved back to exhibition zones while rescue operations continued.
Who was Wing Commander Namansh Syal?
Syal, 34, hailed from Patiyalkar village in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. He is survived by his wife—also an IAF officer—their six-year-old daughter, and his parents. A seasoned pilot, he had been expecting a promotion, relatives said.
His family was away at different Air Force bases when the news arrived. “He was very humble… people in the village are devastated,” a relative, Ramesh Kumar, told reporters. Himachal Pradesh leaders called his death a “heartbreaking loss” and praised his courage and service.
The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to determine what caused the Tejas to go down during its demonstration.
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