On Monday, a fresh new video surfaced capturing the final moments of the Tejas fighter jet that crashed at the Dubai Airshow on November 21, killing Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
The two-minute and three-second-long clip shows the pilot steering the jet through a series of swift, low-level manoeuvres before the aircraft suddenly dips, loses control, and erupts into a fireball as it hits the ground. WATCH.
This happened during the showcasing of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft program on the final day of the airshow.
Who was Namansh Syal?
Wing Commander Namansh Syal was no ordinary flier. He was a decorated fighter pilot, admired widely for his calmness in the cockpit. He had become a trusted face in the IAF’s display team.
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On Sunday, in his native village, Patialkar in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, hundreds gathered to bid farewell to Syal. He is survived by his wife, herself an IAF officer, their six-year-old daughter, and his parents.
"An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at the 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,” the Indian Air Force said in a statement, following the crash.
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"A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident."
The statement further added, “His dignified persona earned him immense respect through a life devoted to service, and was visible in the send-off attended by UAE Officials, colleagues, friends, and the officials of the Indian Embassy.”
