Polish F-16 Crashes in Airshow Rehearsal Incident

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People gather near the scene where a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow, in Radom, Poland, August 28, 2025. — Reuters

A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, resulting in the pilot’s death, according to the army on Thursday.

“A Polish Army pilot tragically lost his life in the crash of an F-16 aircraft—an officer who served his country with unwavering dedication and bravery. I honor his memory,” wrote Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on X upon arriving at the crash site.

The Armed Forces’ General Command confirmed that the incident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan and reassured that no spectators were harmed.

“Rescue efforts were immediately launched at the location,” the statement added.

Footage obtained by Polish media depicted the F-16 executing a barrel roll maneuver before crashing in flames, skidding across the ground.

Local reports state that the jet went down on the runway around 1730 GMT, damaging it, and the Radom Airshow scheduled for the weekend has now been canceled.