On Camera, Polish F-16 Crashes Into Fireball During Airshow Rehearsal, Pilot Dead (WATCH)

A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, killing a Polish Army pilot.

A Polish F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday while preparing for an air show in the central city of Radom, killing the pilot, a government spokesperson said. "Tragedy in Radom, during preparations for the air show, a F-16 jet crashed. Unfortunately, the pilot has died," Adam Szlapka wrote on X. The defence minister headed to the site of the accident, it added.

No one on the ground was injured in the crash, according to a statement from the Polish military.

Videos on social media, showed the aircraft performing an acrobatic manoeuvre before crashing onto the runway in a ball of fire. The Radom air show, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Warsaw, is scheduled to take place this weekend.

Poland Deputy PM Expresses Grief

Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, confirmed the news and expressed grief over a "great loss for the Air Force."

Through a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz informed that they are at the incident location. "In the F-16 plane crash, a Polish Army pilot died - an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory. To the family and loved ones, I offer my deepest condolences."

"This is a great loss for the Air Force and the entire Polish Army," they added.

The cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained.

(With inputs from AFP)