Indian fighter jet pilot killed in crash at Dubai airshow

A pilot has died after an Indian fighter jet crashed while performing a display at an airshow in Dubai, officials have said.

The Indian Air Force said in a statement: “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 Hindustan Aeronautics Ltds Tejas jet crashed about about 14:10 local time (10:10 GMT), according to the Associated Press.

Dubai’s Media Office and the UAE Ministry of Defence have said firefighters and emergency services have “responded rapidly” to the incident and are managing the situation on-site.

Video footage of the aftermath of the crash shows black smoke rising into the air.

India’s Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said in a statement that all ranks of the Indian Army “deeply regret the incident” and “stand firmly” with the pilot’s bereaved family.

The Dubai Airshow 2025 website says the event has attracted more than 148,000 attendees and exhibitors from 1,500 companies.

The fatal crash happened on the last day of the airshow which began on Monday, hosted at Al Maktoum International Airport.