A Polish Air Force pilot has died after his F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in central Poland, the country’s defense ministry has said.
The crash happened in the city of Radom, central Poland, on Thursday, the ministry said on Friday.
The General Command of the Armed Forces said the accident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near the city of Poznan and that there were no injuries to any bystanders.
“Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the scene,” it added.
“A Polish Army pilot died in the crash of an F-16 aircraft – an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory,” Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X after arriving at the crash scene.
Boy and girl killed in US Catholic school shooting named UN staff pressure human rights chief to call Gaza a genocide People stand near the scene where a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, Poland.
Footage obtained by Polish media showed the F-16 performing a barrel roll aerobatic maneuver, before crashing in flames as it slid on the ground.
A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet has crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, Poland. Pic: Agencja Wyborcza.pl/Marcin Kucewicz/Reuters
According to local media, the aircraft crashed onto the runway at approximately 5.30pm GMT.
As a result, the Radom Airshow scheduled for the weekend has been cancelled.
Credit: Sky News
