An Indian fighter aircraft, the indigenously developed Tejas, crashed during a demonstration flight at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, a witness and officials told AFP.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Tejas jet crashed at about 2:10pm local time.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed on social media that the pilot sustained “fatal injuries” and said it was launching an inquiry to determine what caused the crash.
“IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the statement added.
Photos published by Indian media outlets showed the plane engulfed in flames and a wall of black smoke. A witness told Reuters news agency that the plane was flying at low altitude before appearing to rapidly descend in a ball of fire.
The crash sent sirens reverberating across Al Maktoum International Airport, where the biennial aviation event was expected to draw about 150,000 people this year. It was not immediately clear if anyone else was injured.
The Government of Dubai Media Office wrote on X that the pilot’s death was “tragic” and posted a photo of crews appearing to hose down debris at the site of the crash.
“Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the office said.
Air demonstrations resumed less than two hours later as emergency workers finished clearing the scene.
The Tejas jet, built by India’s state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, has been a key symbol of New Delhi’s attempt to modernise its air force fleet, especially as China helps neighbouring Pakistan shore up its own air capabilities.
