- Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during rehearsal for Radom airshow, killing the pilot
- The crash happened near Poznan involving the 31st Tactical Air Base aircraft
- Radom AirSHOW 2025 scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled due to the crash
A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, killing a Polish Army pilot. Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, confirmed the news and expressed grief over a "great loss for the Air Force."
In a viral video of the crash, the jet is seen performing a barrel-roll aerobatic manoeuvre before dropping to the ground, where it exploded and turned into a fireball. The jet, engulfed in fire, skidded on the runway for a few meters.
The incident reportedly occurred around 1730 GMT that is 11 pm IST. The accident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan, said the General Command of the Armed Forces. No bystander suffered any injury, they added.
The AirSHOW Radom 2025, which was due to take place this weekend, has been cancelled.
Through a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz informed that they are at the incident location. "In the F-16 plane crash, a Polish Army pilot died - an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, I offer my deepest condolences."
"This is a great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army," they added.
The cause of the crash is currently unclear.
