Overview
- The single-seat light combat aircraft went down during an eight-minute display slot at Al Maktoum International Airport around 2:10 pm local time, with videos showing a sudden loss of altitude and a fireball on impact.
- Dubai Media Office said firefighting and emergency teams responded immediately, and flying displays resumed after a brief pause.
- The Indian Ministry of Defence rejected circulating social-media claims of an oil leak as fake and intentionally misleading.
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and senior leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan offered condolences to Syal’s family.
- The crash is the second Tejas loss in roughly 20 months after a March 2024 accident near Jaisalmer, with investigators now set to extract and analyze flight and systems data.