Polish Army Pilot killed as F-16 jet crashes during airshow preparation

Poland’s AirSHOW Radom 2025 cancelled pursuing crash.

A Polish Army aviator has died aft his F-16 pitchy crashed during preparations for an planetary airshow successful Poland.

In a connection connected Thursday, the General Command of the Armed Forces said that the mishap progressive an craft from the 31st Tactical Air Base adjacent Poznan, occidental Poland. No bystanders were injured.

“A Polish Army aviator died successful the clang of an F-16 craft – an serviceman who ever served his state with dedication and large courage. I wage tribute to his memory,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote connected X aft arriving astatine the clang country astatine Radom airport, successful cardinal Poland.

Firefighters rushed to the country aft the craft did not retrieve aft barreling down the runway and hitting the ground. The mishap happened astatine astir 19:30 section clip (17:30 GMT).

Video connected societal media showed the F-16 combatant pitchy nose-diving and past erupting into a shot of flames arsenic it crashed during a signifier league earlier this year’s Radom Air Show.

On the time that I visited Polish troops serving successful Latvia,
I was profoundly saddened to larn of the nonaccomplishment of the Polish aviator of the F-16 killed during the objection formation this evening successful Radom. My thoughts are with his household and comrade soldiers.

Moje najszczersze wyrazy…

— Andris Spruds (@AndrisSpruds) August 28, 2025

Local reports authorities that the pilot, portion of an elite radical of NATO aerial units known arsenic “Tiger Demo”, was not seen ejecting from the level earlier the crash.

The AirSHOW Radom 2025, which was owed to instrumentality spot this weekend, has been cancelled.

Poland archetypal bought US-made F-16s, a pitchy cardinal to NATO’s defence strategy, successful 2003 and has since been successful the process of upgrading its fleet amid its boosted defence spending successful the aftermath of Russia’s 2023 penetration of neighbouring Ukraine.

🇮🇹🇵🇱 The Chief of Italian Defence, General #Portolano, expresses profound sorrow for the tragic nonaccomplishment of the Polish aviator who mislaid his beingness successful the F-16 clang today.

On behalf of the Italian Armed Forces, General Portolano extends his deepest condolences to General #Kukula, to the… pic.twitter.com/Hw0jf5xjLV

— Forze Armate StatoMaggioreDifesa (@SM_Difesa) August 28, 2025

In a station connected X, the Defence General Staff of Italy, a chap NATO member, expressed “profound sorrow” pursuing the crash.

Latvia’s curate of defence, who visited Polish troops stationed successful the Eastern European state earlier connected Thursday, besides posted connected X that helium was “deeply saddened” by the death.

“My thoughts are with his household and comrade soldiers,” helium said.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies