Pilot dies after Indian fighter jet crashes during demonstration flight at Dubai Airshow

The pilot of an Indian fighter jet died after the plane crashed during a demonstration flight for spectators at the Dubai Airshow, the Indian Air Force said Friday.

The Indian HAL Tejas fighter jet, used in the Indian Air Force, crashed around 2:10 p.m. local time after the pilot flew several times over the site of the biennial air show in Dubai.

Social media footage from witnesses captured the plane appearing to lose control as it plunged straight toward the ground just before crashing inside the airfield.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the crash and said “the pilot sustained fatal injuries in the crash.”

“The IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” it said in a statement. It said: “A court of inquiry is being constituted to determine the cause of the accident.”

India’s opposition party leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences in a social media post on Friday.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of our brave IAF pilot in the Tejas crash at the Dubai Airshow. My deepest condolences to his family. The nation stands with them, honoring their courage and service,” Gandhi said in X.

Black smoke billowed over Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central as crowds of onlookers watched and sirens sounded after the crash.

The city-state’s second airport hosted the biennial Dubai Airshow, which has received significant aircraft orders from both long-haul airline Emirates and its lower-cost sister airline FlyDubai.

Friday marked the last day of the week-long air show and many families gathered in the airport’s grandstand area to watch the spectacle.

“Firefighting and emergency teams responded quickly to the incident and are currently managing the situation at the scene,” the Dubai Media Office, which responds to crises in the emirate, said in a post on X.

Police and emergency personnel could later be seen at the scene of the accident, while firefighting foam was sprayed on the road. An SUV with diplomatic plates flying the Indian flag could also be seen.

The air show resumed flight demonstrations about an hour and a half later, with the Russian Knights flying overhead while emergency crews were still working at the crash site.

Tejas is India’s indigenous fighter aircraft, built by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The lightweight single-engine aircraft is expected to bolster India’s depleted fighter fleet as China expands its military presence in South Asia, including strengthening defense ties with India’s rival Pakistan.

In September, India’s Defense Ministry signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, to acquire 97 Tejas aircraft 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, scheduled for last year, have been largely delayed due to a shortage of engines that must be imported from the United States.

On Thursday, India’s Press Information Bureau rejected some claims on social media alleging that a Tejas aircraft had experienced an oil leak while on display at the air show. In a statement on

It was unclear whether the plane in question was the one that crashed on Friday.

A Tejas fighter jet crashed in the western Indian state of Rajasthan last year, but the pilot ejected safely in that incident.