Overview
- Wing Commander Namansh Syal, 34, was identified as the pilot; his remains will be repatriated for a funeral with state and military honors on Sunday in Himachal Pradesh.
- The Indian Air Force confirmed the accident occurred during a flying display at Al Maktoum International Airport at about 2:10 p.m. local time.
- Technical specialists from the IAF and HAL have deployed to work with UAE authorities on black box recovery, with General Electric expected to be engaged if engine analysis is required.
- Eyewitness video shows the aircraft performing a roll before losing control and impacting the ground, and reports say the pilot did not eject; the cause will be determined by the formal inquiry.
- This is only the second major Tejas accident after a 2024 Jaisalmer crash in which the pilot survived, as the indigenous light combat aircraft remains central to the IAF’s modernization.