Teen Captures Video of Tragic Air India Crash, Faces Trauma and Media Frenzy

In the aftermath of a devastating Air India plane crash, 17-year-old Aryan Asari's video documentation has thrust him into the spotlight, leaving him traumatized as he navigates overwhelming media attention and personal anguish.

Just last Thursday, the life of 17-year-old Aryan Asari changed irrevocably when he filmed the tragic crash of an Air India Dreamliner 787-8. From his terrace in Ahmedabad, Aryan had a hobby of recording planes soaring across the sky, but that hobby turned into a nightmare when he witnessed the aircraft plummet and explode, killing 241 people onboard and claiming nearly 30 lives on the ground.

Aryan had been recording videos on his phone that day when he observed the Air India plane wobbling ominously in the air. "I saw the plane going down... then it crashed right before my eyes," he recounted in an interview with BBC Gujarati. His footage has become a critical asset for investigators delving into the cause of the catastrophic incident.

The crash has turned Aryan into a symbolic figure amid the chaos, resulting in relentless media attention. "Reporters have been milling around my house day and night asking to speak to him," shared his father, Maganbhai Asari. This heightened scrutiny has created a "devastating impact" on Aryan, who now suffers from severe anxiety. “My son has stopped using his phone because he is so scared,” his father lamented.

The family moved to Ahmedabad from their ancestral village near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, marking Aryan's first experience in the city where planes were supposed to paint the sky for him. Invited to accompany his sister who was visiting for an exam, Aryan was thrilled about the adventure until it morphed into a horrific experience.

The fateful afternoon unfolded when both siblings arrived around noon and shared lunch with their father before he left for work. Alone on the terrace, Aryan began recording, only to recognize the aircraft’s alarming descent. As smoke filled the air, he sent a panicked message to his father stating, “I saw it crash,” and inquired anxiously about what would happen to him.

The video quickly spread online, attracting attention from neighbors and reporters alike, who clamored to interview Aryan. Shortly after, local police took him for questioning, clarifying that he was not detained but did provide information on what he had witnessed.

Given the overwhelming stress, Aryan was eventually encouraged to return to his village. Although back at school, he grapples with emotional wounds, as each phone ring sends him into fear. His father holds hope for his son’s recovery over time but fears Aryan may never regain the joy of watching planes in the sky again.