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Dubai Airshow crash: Tejas pilot's remains repatriated to India, UAE pays tribute
The Emirati Defence Forces honoured the braveheart with a ceremonial guard of honour, the India Embassy said Tejas fighter jet pilot's remains repatriated to India
Mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who lost his life in a Tejas aircraft crash during the Dubai Airshow on Friday, were repatriated to India a day after the tragic incident.
Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal and Consul General Satish Sivan paid their respects on Saturday to the pilot, who served with the Indian Air Force’s No. 45 Squadron (Flying Daggers) at Air Force Station Sulur — one of the two squadrons operating the LCA Tejas.
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The mortal remains of the officer were flown back to India on a special IAF aircraft. The Emirati Defence Forces also accorded him a ceremonial guard of honour in recognition of his bravery and sacrifice.
The casket was later transported to the Air Force Station, Sulur, near Coimbatore, on Sunday (November 23) morning. Paying tribute to the Wing Commander and mourning his untimely death, the IAF remembered him as a "dedicated fighter pilot" and thorough professional, who served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty.
"The Indian Air Force deeply mourns the tragic loss of Wg Cdr Namansh Syal, who lost his life in the unfortunate Tejas aircraft accident at the Dubai Air Show. A dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional, he served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty," they said in a post on X.
The 34-year-old Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force was a resident of Patialkadh in Nagrota Bagwan tehsil. He was flying the HAL Tejas, India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which has a foreign engine.
This crash marks the second known Tejas accident, but the first fatal one at an international airshow. The jet crashed around 2.10pm on the last day of the Dubai Airshow while performing stunts. Spectators watched in shock as the aircraft nosedived and burst into flames after hitting the ground.
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