After filming the dramatic crash of an Air India plane from his terrace, 17-year-old Aryan Asari grapples with the aftermath of witnessing the tragedy firsthand. The incident has not only brought widespread media attention but also deep emotional turmoil for the young aviation enthusiast.
Teen Witness to Air India Crash Shares Haunting Experience
Teen Witness to Air India Crash Shares Haunting Experience
Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old, captures the tragic moment of the Air India plane crash from his rooftop, leading to media frenzy and personal trauma.
On a seemingly ordinary day last Thursday, 17-year-old Aryan Asari found himself thrust into one of India’s most tragic aviation disasters when he captured the horrifying crash of an Air India Dreamliner 787-8 on his phone. The plane went down just moments after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people onboard and nearly 30 more on the ground.
Living in a residential area close to the airport, Aryan had always been passionate about airplanes, often rushing out to his terrace to film them. But on that fateful day, everything changed. "I saw the plane wobbled and crashed right before my eyes," he recounted in an interview, visibly shaken by the experience.
His video footage has become a crucial piece of evidence for investigators, sparking a media frenzy that has turned Aryan into an unexpected public figure in the wake of the disaster. "We've been inundated with interview requests," said his father, Maganbhai Asari, as they faced reporters camping outside their home.
The emotional toll on Aryan has been severe. “He is so scared that he has stopped using his phone,” his father revealed, highlighting the impact of witnessing such a traumatic incident. Aryan's family had recently moved to Ahmedabad, and this was his first experience of the city, which unfortunately became marked by tragedy during his brief stay.
On the day of the crash, Aryan and his sister had accompanied their father to the city as she prepared to write an examination. Upon arriving at their father’s new home, Aryan decided to document his surroundings from the terrace when disaster struck. As he filmed the struggling aircraft, he felt a mixture of fascination and dread, unable to comprehend the unfolding peril.
Moments after capturing the crash, Aryan called his father in a state of panic, pleading for reassurance. "He sounded terrified and kept asking what would happen to him," his father recalled, while also advising Aryan against sharing the video. But fear and shock overwhelmed him, leading him to send the footage to friends. Shortly thereafter, the clip went viral.
As reporters and neighbors flooded their home in the coming days, the family struggled to manage the attention. Police involvement further complicated matters, with Aryan being questioned about the crash, which only added to his distress. Recognizing his turmoil, his family decided it was best for him to return to their village.
Now back at school, Aryan's emotional recovery remains uncertain. "Every time the phone rings, he gets frightened," his father noted, suggesting that the young boy may never look at airplanes in the same way again. As time passes, the family hopes to heal from this trauma but acknowledges that the effects of the disaster will linger.
