• Source:JND
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A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft crashed on Thursday night at a rehearsal for the Radom Airshow in central Poland, killing the pilot. The fatal crash forced authorities to cancel the eagerly-awaited weekend event. The incident was confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and he termed it a "great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army.

Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that he was at the site of the crash in Radom, roughly 100 kilometers south of Warsaw. "In the crash of F-16, a Polish Army pilot perished, an officer who always served the Fatherland with commitment and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, my most sincere condolences," he posted on social media site X (formerly Twitter). Government spokesman Adam Szlapka also confirmed the loss of life, stating the plane crashed around 1730 GMT, landing on the runway and destroying much of it.

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Video posted on social media showed the F-16 losing control before it crashed into the ground and caught fire. The Polish government stated that an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the reason behind the crash. A statement from the Defence Ministry confirmed that no civilians or ground staff got injured.

Local media reports stated the aircraft may have been flown by Major pil. Maciej "SLAB" Krakowian of the Tiger Demo Team, who was named as one of the top display pilots on the Radom Airshow roster. Krakowian was considered to be among the nation's most experienced and capable air display pilots. Though the Polish military has not officially announced the pilot's identity.

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Organisers declared the Radom Airshow, which is among Poland's biggest aviation events, cancelled after the accident. The two-day event was supposed to attract thousands of people and feature both Polish and foreign planes.

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Military officials called the incident "one of the most serious air accidents for Poland's Air Force in recent years. An official investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the crash. Aviation officials indicate technical failure or pilot error may be the reasons, but no official report has come out as yet.