Photo: ANI screengrab
NEW DELHI: Wing Commander Afshan saluted her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, as she paid her last respects to him. Wing Commander Namansh Syal lost his life in the LCA Tejas crash in Dubai on 21st November.The mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal were brought to his native village of Patialkar in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district on Sunday. Villagers, family members and officials gathered to pay emotional tributes as his last rites are set to be performed.The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the pilot’s demise after the aircraft crashed and burst into flames during a low-level aerobatic demonstration at Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai on Friday.Local residents and friends described Syal as a “gem” and the pride of their village and school.Sandeep Kumar, a local, said, “We are from the same village as Namansh, Patialkar. Everyone in our village is sad. He was like our younger brother. This should not have happened. We do not have words. We met him 3-4 months ago when he visited our village.”Pankaj Chadha, who studied alongside Wing Commander Namansh Syal, recalled their school days and how he was a gem. “I have also studied in the same school as Namansh, Sainik School Sujanpur Tira. We have lost one of our gems. He was the pride of our school. We will go to his native village, Patialkar. He made all of us very proud,” Chadha said.How the tragic mishap occurred?The Tejas Mark-1 fighter jet was performing an eight-minute aerobatic demonstration when it could not recover from a low-altitude “negative G-turn,” plunging to the ground and erupting into flames in front of a large audience.Visuals from the Dubai Air Show showed the jet crashing and sending thick black smoke into the sky. Emergency teams rushed to the site, but Wing Commander Syal could not eject in time and sustained fatal injuries.This was the second crash involving the lightweight multi-role Tejas since its induction into the IAF a decade ago. The first crash, near Jaisalmer in March last year, saw the pilot safely eject. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash, coordinating with Dubai aviation authorities and recovering the aircraft’s black box.Veteran pilots highlight that such accidents can occur due to sudden loss of power, control malfunction or spatial disorientation during negative G maneuvers