NEW DELHI: Wing Commander Namnash Syal was identified as the pilot of the ill-fated Tejas fighter jet that crashed during the Dubai Airshow on Friday, news agency ANI reported.Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute to the officer, who hailed from Kangra district. In a message on X, he wrote: “The news of the demise of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district’s brave son Naman Syal ji in the Tejas aircraft accident at the Dubai Air Show is extremely heartbreaking and soul-shattering. The nation has lost a courageous, dutiful, and valiant pilot.”The single-engine aircraft went down around 2:10pm local time after abruptly losing altitude mid-manoeuvre, before crashing in a fireball near the Al Maktoum International Airport. Spectators watched in shock as black smoke rose over the airfield.The IAF said a court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident, adding that it “deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior military leaders also expressed condolences.
