Indian fighter jet crashes during a demonstration flight at Dubai Air Show, killing the pilot

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Indian fighter jet crashed Friday at the start of a demonstration flight in front of a crowd of spectators at the Dubai Air Show, killing its sole pilot.

The Indian HAL Tejas smashed into the ground at the vast Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, sending a vast fireball into the air and thick black smoke into the sky. Police vehicles, ambulances and a helicopter rushed to the site of the crash, spraying firefighting foam to extinguish the blaze.

Onlookers, including families who gathered in a grand stand for the end of the air show Friday, gasped in horror and disbelief at the crash in this city-state in the United Arab Emirates. The airplane appeared to have lost control and dove directly toward the ground.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the crash and said “the pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.”

“IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” it said in a statement. It said “a court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident.”

Emirati crash investigators also will investigate the crash.

The city-state’s second airport hosts the biennial Dubai Air Show. This year's edition saw major aircraft orders by both the long-haul carrier Emirates and its lower-cost sister airline FlyDubai.

“Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the Dubai Media Office, which responds to crises in the sheikhdom, said on X.

An SUV bearing diplomatic plates flying the Indian flag was seen at the site, along with police and emergency personnel.

The air show resumed flight demonstrations about an half and a hour afterward, with the Russian Knights flying overhead as emergency crews still worked the crash site.

Tejas is India’s indigenous fighter aircraft, built by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The lightweight, single-engine jet is expected to bolster India’s depleted fighter fleet as China expands its military presence in South Asia, including by strengthening defense ties with India’s rival Pakistan.

In September, India’s Defense Ministry signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, to procure 97 Tejas jets for the air force. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.

The Indian government also signed a deal with HAL in 2021 for 83 Tejas aircraft. Deliveries, expected last year, have been delayed largely because of shortages of engines that must be imported from the United States.

On Thursday, India’s Press Information Bureau rejected some social media claims alleging that a Tejas aircraft had experienced an oil leak while on display at the air show. In a statement on X, it called the posts “false” and said they were attempts to undermine the “fighter’s proven technical reliability with baseless propaganda.”

It was unclear whether the aircraft in question was the one that crashed on Friday. Social media footage showed some kind of liquid dripping from the aircraft into gathered bags beneath it.

“The videos show routine, intentional draining of condensed water,” the military said. “This is a standard procedure for aircraft operating in humid conditions, like those in Dubai.”

Dubai has seen high humidity and fog over the last two days as the seasons change in this nation on the Arabian Peninsula.

A Tejas fighter jet crashed in the western Indian state of Rajasthan last year, but the pilot ejected safely in that incident.

Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

Emergency services attend the scene after an Indian HAL Tejas crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday Nov. 21, 2025. (Dubai Media Office via AP)

The Indian HAL Tejas during a demonstration moments before crashing at the Dubai Air Show, at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

The Indian HAL Tejas during a demonstration moments before crashing at the Dubai Air Show, at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

A bystander watches as an Indian HAL Tejas crashes during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

A bystander watches as an Indian HAL Tejas crashes during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

A Boeing 777X performs during the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Fursan Al Emarat, the aerobatics demonstration team of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, performs during the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

People walk at the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

FILE - Passengers leave the baggage handling hall at the Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)

Emirati men take photos of Fursan Al Emarat, the aerobatics demonstration team of the United Arab Emirates Air Force during the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

COPENHAGEN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2025--

GoWish, the Danish social shopping phenomenon widely used for creating wish lists in Scandinavia and now also in the US, where the app peaked as no. 1 on the US AppStore during November, has examined a total of 20,898,148 wishes created in the US, Denmark, Norway and Sweden over the past 14 days (November 26 to December 9) in its Christmas Crystal Ball survey. This Christmas too, a look into GoWish’s Crystal Ball provides an interesting insight into what GoWish’s American users as well as its Scandinavian counterparts wish for in the lead-up to dancing around the Christmas tree.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251210471201/en/

Like previous years, GoWish has mapped the most popular wishes for men (>18), women (>18), boys (<18), and girls (<18) across Scandinavia, yet 2025 is the first year to include American users as well, as GoWish has reached nearly 8.6 million US registered users (as per December 8, 2025) and again this year, interesting patterns emerge across gender, age and countries:

“With the Crystal Ball survey we can follow trends across gender, age, and markets to see what’s shaping people’s wishes in different countries - for the benefit, joy, and inspiration of everyone else. A look into the wishes of so many millions of people gives us a rare insight into what people are really dreaming about”, says Casper Ravn-Sørensen, Chief Growth Officer at GoWish, who continues:

“Wish lists are not just practical reminders; they tell us something about our everyday lives, our style, and our need for both function and indulgence. It’s always exciting to see which trends break through – and which favorites insist on staying at the top year after year”, he adds.

GoWish’s Crystal Ball Survey, Christmas 2025:

The US vs. Scandinavia

As of per December 8, 2025, GoWish and its Scandinavian sister site Ønskeskyen had nearly 16.9 million registered users globally with Denmark accounting for +3.5million, Sweden 831,780 users and Norway 805,366 while the USA is well in the lead with 8,576,140 users. The new Christmas Crystal Ball survey shows clear differences in consumer interests across both gender and country: AirPods and underwear dominate among boys and men in the Nordic countries, while girls and women are more likely to wish for hair products, eyelash serum, and interior items. American consumers stand out here; for men, gaming and gadgets play a larger role, while teenage girls and women show greater interest in digital cameras and stress balls.

“The results paint a picture of how interests are shaped differently across both gender and culture. Training socks, underwear, and AirPods dominate for boys and men, while girls and women prioritize beauty, fashion, and the home. At the same time, we’re seeing exciting variations between countries - for example, American girls are more fitness and tech-driven, while men in the USA want gaming and gadgets”, says Casper Ravn-Sørensen.

And the Gift of the Year 2025 is…

Once again, GoWish is ready to announce the ‘Gift of the Year’ after a look into the Crystal Ball, and as last year, Ønskeskyen’s internal panel did not have to search long to find the gift that will seemingly bring joy to men and women of all ages. Although Apple’s AirPods Pro still are at the top of many wish lists, just as they were last year, it is a “soft package” that this year takes the title:

“Training socks are the wish that tops the lists for most users across gender, age, and countries. The practical and sporty choice has taken the lead - even though AirPods Pro, which topped wish lists last year, still ranks highly as a modern Christmas classic. And remember: even if someone else gets the same idea, you can reserve the gift you want to buy on Ønskeskyen – avoiding both duplicate gifts and the exchange queue after Christmas”, concludes Casper Ravn-Sørensen.

About GoWish · Founded in 2015 by the Danish-Swedish postal service, PostNord, as Ønskeskyen, the platform known internationally as GoWish is today an independent and privately-owned tech company trusted by millions of users across generations to fulfill hundreds of thousands of wishes every single day and millions of wish lists to date. With more than 3.5 million registered Danish users, GoWish/Ønskeskyen is not only the market leader and category owner in its native Denmark, but a fast-growing social shopping phenomenon spreading globally with a simple mission: “fixing gifting”. Learn more on www.gowish.com.

GoWish’s Crystal Ball Survey, Christmas 2025