"Unfortunate... a matter of investigation": Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tejas jet crash in Dubai

Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India] November 22 (ANI): Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said the crash of an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Air Show was "unfortunate", and highlighted that no definitive conclusions can be drawn until a full investigation is complete.

Speaking to reporters, Shekhawat said, "This is unfortunate; it is a matter of investigation. No comments can be made until the complete investigation."

Meanwhile, looking at the nature of the Tejas aircraft crash during the Dubai Air Show 2025, defence expert Captain Anil Gaur (Retd.) speculated that the incident might have occurred due to the pilot losing control or a blackout due to the g-forces induced by gravity.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, Captain Gaur said that the exact cause of the crash can only be determined after the data from the cockpit is retrieved.

Expressing condolences to the family of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who tragically lost his life in the crash, Captain Gaur said, "It is sad that our Tejas jet was crashed during the Dubai air show and our brave pilot lost his life. From the visuals, it seems that the jet lost control during the acrobatics, or there might have been a pilot blackout. Blackout here means the excessive gravitational force."

"Pilots wear a G-suit so that the blood does not pool in their legs; there might have been an issue with that. What exactly happened can only be determined once the cockpit data is retrieved. I express my condolences to the family of the pilot," he added.

Excessive g-forces can cause blood to pool in the lower body, potentially leading to a pilot blackout.

The Indian Air Force announced the death of the Pilot after a Tejas aircraft crashed and burst into flames at the Dubai Air Show 2025 on Friday.

"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. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief," a statement by the Indian Air Force said.

The IAF said a court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident in which the pilot succumbed to fatal injuries.

The plane went down while performing an aerial display before a large crowd, local media reported.

Khaleej Times reported that the fighter jet crashed into the ground soon after take-off. Photos and videos shared online show plumes of black smoke billowing into the air from the aircraft on the ground.

The news outlet cited one eyewitness as saying, "As soon as the plane took off, it crashed. I am not sure which aircraft it was." (ANI)