An HAL-built Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show this afternoon. The Indian Air Force later confirmed the incident, adding that the pilot flying the jet died.
Several videos circulating online showed the indigenous aircraft hitting the ground and erupting into a fireball.
IAF's full statement on the Tejas crash:
An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.
A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Also Read | Tejas jet crashes during demonstration at Dubai Air Show, pilot dies
Dubai Media office reacts
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Tejas jet crashes during demonstration at Dubai Air Show, pilot dies
Dubai Media office reacts
{{/usCountry}}The Dubai Media Office, which responds to crises in the sheikhdom, also reacted to the deadly crash and said the situation was being managed on site.
“Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the Dubai Media Office wrote on X sharing an image of firefighters spraying debris.
In September, the Indian Defence Ministry signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, to procure 97 Tejas jets for the Air Force. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.
The Indian government also signed a deal with HAL in 2021 for 83 Tejas aircraft. Deliveries, expected last year, have been delayed largely because of shortages of engines that must be imported from the US.
The incident comes at a time when the IAF is preparing to induct an advanced variant of the aircraft, the LCA Mk-1A.
What was the first Tejas crash?
This is only the second LCA Tejas crash ever recorded.
Earlier, a single-engine Tejas fighter jet crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on March 12, 2024, minutes after participating in a tri-services exercise showcasing India’s progress toward self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The pilot ejected safely in that incident.
The LCA Mk-1 had taken part in the Bharat Shakti tri-services exercise at the Pokhran firing range near Jaisalmer along with another Tejas aircraft before it went down.
The IAF inducted its first Tejas aircraft in July 2016 and currently operates two Mk-1 squadrons (each comprising 16 to 18 aircraft).