An Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday, November 21st, during its acrobatic routine on the final day of Dubai’s Airshow. The pilot of the F-35 aircraft has been pronounced dead at the site, after paramedics and medical professionals were seen rushing to the scene of the crash.
The Incident
It has been rumoured that at 2:10 pm Dubai time (10:10 GMT), the pilot climbed several hundred feet into the air before losing power, plummeting downward towards an open space next to the runway, sacrificing himself in the process. No other fatalities or injuries have been reported.
The event was temporarily suspended as visitors and spectators were told to stand by in the main exhibition hall for safety reasons. The show resumed an hour later after safety inspectors gave the green light.
The incident happened on the very last day of the week-long airshow, with many fans gathering on the grandstands to watch the final displays. The Dubai Airshow takes place at the city’s second-largest airport, Dubai World Central, and with 1500 aviators attending, it is the biggest international airshow in the world.
Many of the bystanders have expressed shock and despair at the tragedy, with one expressing his heartbreak at ‘the sight of watching someone die right in front of you.’ The pilot had been flying the Tejas aircraft at previous airshows for several years before his untimely death.
The technological reasoning behind the aircraft’s fault has not been determined as of yet; also, many speculate it’s due to the possibility of oil leaks, a claim that India called ‘fake’ only a day before the crash.
The Dubai Airshow 2025 has now come to an end, with many still thinking about the loss of life that has closed out the event.
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