Click to see full-size image.
A HAL Tejas fighter jet from the Indian Air Force taking part in a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show crashed on November 21 afternoon, with the pilot failing to eject.
According to multiple reports, the fighter jet went down around 2:10 pm local time while performing an aerial display before a large crowd.
Videos of the incident shows the fighter jets slamming into the ground near the Dubai World Central (DWC), which is also known as Al Maktoum International Airport. The crash resulted in a large fire ball. The pilot was not seen ejecting, and later photos from the scene of the crash indicate that he was killed.
Click to see full-size image.
Click to see full-size image.
The incident reportedly took place as a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II of the United States Air Force was landing after performing its own display.
Music accompanying the F-35 show was even still playing all around the DWC when the Tejas was falling from the sky.
Just a day before the incident, photos showing the same Tejas fighter jet from Al Maktoum International Airport leaking what appears to be hydraulic oil surfaced on social media. This was extremely unusual as countries usually send the best examples of their equipment, fighter jets or others, to such shows.
India’s Ministry of Defence later dismissed that there was an oil leak. In a firm statement posted on X, the ministry said certain accounts were “deliberately pushing a false narrative” to undermine the fighter jet’s reliability.
Click to see full-size image. (X)
More information about the crash will likely surface in coming days, but overall the tragic incident is unusual in several ways.
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