A harrowing new video has emerged from the Dubai Air Show 2025, capturing the final, tragic moments of Wing Commander Namansh Syal. The footage details the ill-fated low-level maneuver by the Tejas jet, which lost control and descended rapidly. Despite ejecting at the last possible second, the aircraft impacted the ground before Syal’s parachute could deploy, leading to a catastrophic explosion. The 37-year-old officer from Himachal Pradesh was a decorated member of the Air Force. The clip, circulating widely online, offers a stark, unblurred view of the disaster sequence.
The video shows the Tejas performing a tight barrel roll at an extremely low altitude. A sudden negative-G push disrupted the jet’s stability, causing it to plummet. A visual anomaly, appearing to be a small parachute, is visible between the 49- and 52-second marks, indicating Syal initiated his ejection when the aircraft was mere meters above the tarmac. Aviation experts suggest Syal likely attempted to regain control of the aircraft first, given the Tejas’s robust safety record, and only chose to eject when all other options were exhausted. Tragically, the ejection came too late for the parachute to function effectively at such minimal height.
This incident marks the first fatal crash in the Tejas’s decade of service. A previous incident near Jaisalmer in March 2024 saw the pilot safely eject. Wing Commander Syal was a respected officer, originally from Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra. He is survived by his wife, a retired wing commander, and their seven-year-old daughter. Images of Syal smiling hours before the accident, alongside a defence minister, have also surfaced. His remains were returned to Gaggal Airport, with funeral arrangements planned in Kangra, including full state and military honors, underscoring the profound grief felt across Himachal and the nation.
