Seventeen-year-old Aryan Asari witnessed the horrifying crash of an Air India Dreamliner moments after takeoff, capturing it all on his phone. His video is pivotal for investigators, but Aryan now contends with trauma and the onslaught of media scrutiny that follows the tragedy.
After the Flames: Teen Faces Trauma Following Air India Crash
After the Flames: Teen Faces Trauma Following Air India Crash
Aryan Asari captures a tragic aviation disaster on camera, leading to a whirlwind of media attention and personal distress.
The world was shaken last Thursday when an Air India Dreamliner 787-8 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, claiming 241 lives onboard as well as 30 more on the ground. Among the witnesses was 17-year-old Aryan Asari, whose passion for capturing videos of airplanes turned into a stark memory of despair.
Living with his father, Maganbhai Asari, in a neighborhood close to the airport, Aryan had always relished the sound of planes soaring above. However, that thrill quickly morphed into horror when he saw the ill-fated aircraft plummeting from the sky. In a first-hand account to BBC Gujarati, Aryan described the chilling moment, "I saw the plane wobbling and then it crashed right before my eyes."
Aryan’s footage has become a critical piece of evidence for the ongoing investigation into the causes of the crash and has catapulted him into the spotlight. As his father shared, they have been inundated with interview requests, leaving the family feeling overwhelmed.
The trauma of the incident has profoundly affected Aryan; he is now so shaken that he has become reluctant to use his phone, once a tool for his aeroplane videos. The video miracle of technology turned into a nightmare when he realized the significance of his footage even before grasping the full scale of destruction that unfolded.
Having moved to Ahmedabad to accompany his sister on a school visit, Aryan's anticipated adventure morphed into a tragic experience with lasting emotional scars. He had spent only an hour and a half with his father before the crash shook their lives forever.
After witnessing the crash, he rushed to inform his father, “I saw it crash, papa!” what ensued was a struggle to comprehend the mammoth event. As reporters and neighbors circled their home, the Asari family could hardly find solace.
Though the initial wave of chaos has since subsided, Aryan continues to grapple with the psychological aftermath of the tragedy. His father, hopeful for recovery, expressed concern about the lasting impact of this experience on Aryan’s life. “I don’t think my son will ever seek out airplanes again,” he said.
As investigations progress, the community remains in mourning, witnessing the devastating effects of aviation disasters on families and individuals beyond the immediate loss of life.
