WARSAW: A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed on Thursday during rehearsals for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, killing its pilot, the army confirmed.
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who visited the crash site, paid tribute on social media platform X. “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,” he wrote.
The General Command of the Armed Forces said the jet belonged to the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan. It added that no bystanders were hurt and rescue operations were launched immediately after the crash.
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Footage aired by Polish media showed the F-16 performing a barrel roll manoeuvre before crashing in flames along the runway. Local reports said the incident occurred at around 1730 GMT, damaging the runway.
In the aftermath of the crash, authorities announced the cancellation of the Radom Airshow that had been scheduled for the weekend.
