A Tejas fighter jet participating in the Dubai Air Show – which began on November 17 and will run until November 24 – crashed on Friday around 3:40 pm, taking the life of Wg Cdr Namansh Syal. A video of Syal recorded at the event has since gone viral, with tributes pouring in from across the world.
Wg Cdr Namansh Syal’s last video
In the now-viral video, Syal is seen interacting with India’s MoS Defence Sanjay Seth, Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal, and MEA Additional Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan, and later posing for a group photograph.
BHARAT SALUTES ITS BRAVE SON 🇮🇳
— Anura (अनुर ) ࿗ (@Anura_Indo) November 21, 2025
RIP Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
You served with courage, lived with honour, and left a legacy that will inspire generations.
Soar high, warrior #Tejas #crash #Dubai pic.twitter.com/eKxrTTZ6fC
What happened during the Dubai Air Show yesterday?
According to Khaleej Times, during the November 21 display, the Indian-made HAL Tejas began losing altitude soon after take-off. The jet then nosedived into the ground within seconds and burst into flames even before the pilot could eject, as seen in videos circulating on social media.
Thick black smoke soon rose over Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, where a large crowd, including families with children, watched the tragedy unfold. The performance was scheduled to last eight minutes.
#Tejas pilot attempted to regain control and save the aircraft instead of saving his life. Aircraft's engine likely had a compressor stall due to sustained high G turns. Prayers with the family. pic.twitter.com/7NNJpXNYDu
— Aditya Khullar (@AdityaKKhullar) November 21, 2025
Khaleej Times talked to eyewitnesses who said that the plane crashed immediately after take-off. “As soon as the plane took off, it crashed. I am not sure which aircraft it was,” one witness said.
Another said that within 45 minutes, the entire incident was taken care of. Helicopters and firefighters rushed to the scene, and visitors were directed back to the exhibition area.
Although an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, aviation experts, per a report by NDTV, believe that the crash may have been caused by a physiological reaction to a negative-G manoeuvre.
A negative-G manoeuvre involves the aircraft performing a loop in which both the jet and the pilot briefly become inverted. During this period, the forces acting on the body can be highly turbulent and physically stressful.
IAF stands with the bereaved family
The Indian Air Force (IAF) issued a brief statement confirming the pilot’s death. “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,” the IAF statement read.
It added, “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.”
The IAF further said that a court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply anguished at the loss of a “brave and courageous IAF pilot”, before adding, “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The nation stands firmly with the family in this tragic hour.”
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan also expressed sorrow, saying the armed forces stand with the family during this difficult time.
“General Anil Chauhan, CDS and all ranks of Indian Armed Forces deeply regret the incident in which an IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today,” the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
It added, “The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. We deeply regret the loss of life and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”
Who was Wg Cdr Namansh Syal?
The 34-year-old Wing Commander Namansh Syal was originally from Patiyalkar village in Tehsil Nagrota Bagwan in Himachal Pradesh. He is survived by his wife, also an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, their six-year-old daughter and his parents.
His wife was in Kolkata for a course when the incident happened. His father, Jagannath Syal, served in the Indian Army’s Medical Corps and later worked in the education department, retiring as a principal.
“We received information about the crash around 5:00 pm, when his father called me and told me to watch the news. People of the village have gathered here and all are very sad…,” his uncle, Joginder Nath Syal was quoted by ANI as saying.
Another relative, Rmaesh Kumar, added, “Namansh Syal’s parents are currently at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu…The entire village is very sad today.”
