Tejas Jet Crashes During Dubai Air Show

A significant incident occurred at the Dubai Air Show on Friday when an Indian HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed during a scheduled demonstration. The aircraft went down around 2:10 PM local time, causing black smoke to rise over the airport and drawing the attention of spectators. Details regarding the pilot's condition and whether they ejected safely were not immediately available.

This unfortunate event comes shortly after the Indian government, through its Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit, actively refuted claims circulating on social media about the Tejas Mk1 suffering an oil leakage at the airshow. These false claims were amplified by several accounts attempting to portray performance issues.

Authorities clarified that the viral videos actually depicted routine aircraft draining procedures, essential in humid conditions like Dubai's, and not a technical malfunction. The fluid observed was identified as condensed water from the Environmental Control System and On-Board Oxygen Generating System, standard in high atmospheric moisture. Officials dismissed these misleading posts as efforts to undermine confidence in the fighter jet's capabilities, especially as the Tejas represents India's indigenous defense aviation prowess on the global stage.