F-16 fighter jet crashes during Poland airshow rehearsal
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An F-16 fighter jet taking part in Nato exercises in Poland in 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
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- A Polish F-16 fighter jet crashed during an airshow rehearsal in Radom, central Poland, resulting in the pilot's death on August 28.
- Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz paid tribute, stating the pilot "always served his country with dedication and great courage."
- The aircraft crashed on the runway at approximately 1730 GMT, damaging it, which led to the cancellation of the Radom Airshow.
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WARSAW - A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, and the pilot died, the army said on Aug 28.
“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,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X, after arriving at the crash scene.
The General Command of the Armed Forces said that the accident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan and that there were no injuries to any bystanders.
“Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the scene,” it said in a statement.
Footage obtained by Polish media showed the F-16 performing a barrel roll aerobatic manoeuvre, and then crashing in flames as it slid along the ground..
Local media said the aircraft crashed into the runway around 1730 GMT (1.30am on Aug 29 in Singapore) and damaged it, and the Radom Airshow planned for the weekend has been cancelled. REUTERS
