New Delhi:  Indian authorities are working closely with officials in the United Arab Emirates to recover the black box of the Tejas fighter jet that crashed during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Air Show on Friday. The accident claimed the life of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal, whose body is being brought to Delhi today for further formalities and honours.

The Tejas aircraft went down while performing a low altitude manoeuvre, sending up thick smoke and shocking thousands of spectators at the event. The IAF confirmed the pilot’s death soon after the crash and ordered a detailed Court of Inquiry to determine what led to the loss of the indigenous fighter.

Wing Commander Syal, 37, belonged to Himachal Pradesh and was known as a skilled and disciplined officer. Messages of condolence poured in from military leaders, public officials and citizens who praised his service and commitment.

Teams in Dubai are now working to locate the jet’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which will be key to understanding the sequence of events in the final moments of the flight. Since the crash occurred on foreign soil, experts from both countries are coordinating the recovery and investigation.

The Tejas crash has raised concerns at a time when India has been showcasing the aircraft in global markets. It is also a moment of sorrow for the defence community, which continues to honour the pilot’s sacrifice while waiting for clarity on what went wrong.

The IAF said it will share more details once the investigation makes progress.