Tejas Crash: Wg Cdr Namansh Syal Gets Heartfelt Farewell; Wife and IAF Honour Him with Gun Salute

Tejas Crash: A sense of profound grieving and agony was felt in the air and the atmosphere in the Himachal Pradesh Kangra as Air Force Wing Commander Afshan accorded her final tribute to her husband Wing Commander Namash Shyal who was killed in the Tejas fighter aircraft crash in Dubai on Friday.

A few hundreds of the locals had come to give one final farewell to the fighter pilot and offer their tributes to Wing Commander Syal in his home village in Kangra where his mortal remains were stored in a garlanded coffin.

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However, the mood became even more somber and heartwrenching when an inconsolable Wing Commander Afshan, who was weeping uncontrollably and had the tears streaming down her eyes, came forward to give a conclusive salutations to her husband.

The Tejas fighter aircraft on which Wing Commander Syal was flying crashed on Friday afternoon on a low-level manoeuvre over the Al Maktoum international airport at Dubai world central and Wing Commander Syal was killed.

Video recordings had captured the jet suddenly losing altitude before nosediving into the ground before exploding into flames and causing a great deal of black smoke to rise in the airfield.

Air Force confirmed that mid 30s Syal who was of Himachal Pradesh origin had been fatally injured.

Top Air Force officers and personnel as well as the locals came to the scene of the funeral where Wing Commander Syal was burnt with a gun salute and full state honours.

The images prior to the burial of the fighter pilot painted a damp image with family members, friends and Air Force officers giving a heartfelt goodbye to their hero.

AIR FORCE PAYS TRIBUTE

The Air Force honored Wing Commander Syal on Saturday by saying he was a hard-core fighter pilot who was characterized by unwavering dedication to duty, outstanding prowess and unblinking commitment to duty.

#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 Air Force, on a post on X, sent me in a tribute note, recalling a professional air warrior one of whom.

"A dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional, he served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty. His dignified persona earned him immense respect through a life devoted to service, and was visible in the send-off attended by UAE officials, colleagues, friends, and the officials of 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. May his service be remembered with gratitude," the IAF's post read.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called Syal brave and courageous IAF pilot and offered heartfelt condolences to his family.

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Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) general Anil Chauhan said that the armed forces are standing by the bereaved family.

Political leaders such as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also showed their mourning, honoring his service and bravery.

HOW THE CRASH HAPPENED

The most recent footage of the Tejas accident in Dubai Airshow provided a better image of the last moments of the crash.

The video recorded Wing Commander Syal trying to eject but the plane was too low to run away.

The Tejas was attempting a low level aerobatic act when it unexpectedly crashed and burst into a fire ball that killed the pilot.

There was a short-lived appearance of a parachute like object between 49 and 52 seconds which showed a last-second ejection attempt. Pilot researcher theorists cause him to be attempting to level the jet, which has a fairly excellent safety record.

The cause of the crash will however be established after an investigation. The IAF has also established a court of inquiry to find out the cause of the tragedy.

On Sunday, Wing Commander Syal, 37, who used to live in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, was cremated. He leaves behind a wife by the name Afshan and a seven year old daughter.

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