IAF Officer's Final Farewell to Husband Wing Commander Namansh Syal Killed in Tejas Crash at Dubai Air Show - Video

Wing Commander Afshan on Sunday saluted her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, as she paid her last respects after his mortal remains were flown to India following the fatal crash of his LCA Tejas aircraft during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show on November 21.Syal, a fighter pilot from Himachal Pradesh, died after the indigenous multi-role Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas crashed in a ball of fire during its demonstration. The single-engine aircraft went down around 2:10 pm local time after a low-altitude manoeuvre, abruptly losing height and nosediving into the ground. The display had been scheduled to last eight minutes.He is survived by his father, mother, his wife, Wing Commander Afshan, and their six-year-old daughter.On Sunday,

the mortal remains were brought to the Sulur Air Force Base in Tamil Nadu, where they were received with full military honours before being flown onward to his ancestral home in Himachal Pradesh. A casket draped in the tricolour was placed before uniformed personnel, who laid wreaths and offered a ceremonial tribute.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Wing Commander Afshan salutes her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, as she pays her last respects to him.Wing Commander Namansh Syal lost his life in the LCA Tejas crash in Dubai on 21st November. pic.twitter.com/DPKwARut4r

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025

The Indian Air Force, in a post on X, mourned the loss of the air warrior. “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,” it said.The IAF also shared photographs of Syal in uniform and a video of the send-off attended by UAE officials, colleagues, friends and officials from the Indian Embassy. “The IAF stands in solidarity with his family in this hour of profound grief and honours his legacy of courage, devotion and honour,” it added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC9RbXwOEhY

The Tejas crash cast a shadow over the final day of the Dubai Air Show, with spectators watching in shock as black smoke rose over the Al Maktoum International Airport. This was the second accident involving the indigenous LCA in less than two years. A Tejas aircraft had earlier crashed near a residential colony in Jaisalmer on March 12, 2024, after returning from the ‘Bharat Shakti’ tri-services exercise.