The father of Wing Commander Namansh Syal learned of his son’s tragic death while casually scrolling through YouTube. The Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot was killed on Friday after a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk-1) crashed during a demonstration flight at the Dubai Airshow.
According to the IAF, the jet went down during a low-level aerobatic manoeuvre on the final day of the show, which began on 17 November.
Father Recounts Harrowing Moment
Jagan Nath Syal, a retired school principal from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, told The Indian Express that he was watching videos of the airshow online when he stumbled upon reports of the crash. “Around 4 pm today, I was searching videos of the ongoing air show in Dubai on YouTube when I saw reports about the plane crash,” he said.
He had spoken to his son just a day earlier. Namansh had excitedly asked him to watch his performance on television or YouTube. But the father’s search instead led to the devastating realisation that something had gone terribly wrong.
Shocked, Jagan Nath immediately contacted his daughter-in-law, Namansh’s wife, who is also a Wing Commander in the IAF. Moments later, six Air Force officers arrived at their home, confirming his worst fears. “I realised something bad happened to my son,” he said.
Visuals from the scene show the Tejas aircraft sharply nosediving before crashing, followed by a plume of thick, black smoke rising into the sky. Gasps of horror can be heard in the background as spectators recorded the incident.
In a statement posted on X, the Air Force expressed deep sorrow. “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,” it said.
A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash.
