A 17-year-old who unwittingly filmed one of India's biggest aviation disasters has come forward to share his story, two days after a terrifying Air India crash that killed over 265 people shortly after departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Aryan, a teen, had been capturing a mobile video of an aircraft's takeoff, a hobby he enjoyed when tragedy struck. The Ahmedabad-London jet deviated off course and crashed into a building on a nearby medical college campus, bursting in flames 24 seconds after the shooting began. The disaster killed 241 of the 242 passengers on board, as well as several others on the ground, TNIE reported.
The video, which soon went viral on social media, recorded the last minutes of the flight and has since become an important piece of visual evidence in the inquiry.
Aryan gave his statement to the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Saturday, accompanied by his father. Police said that he is just being treated as a witness and denied rumours of an arrest or custody relating to the viral footage.
"No one has been arrested for making this video. A screen recording of a mobile video went viral. The minor who took the video gave the details of the video to the police. He came with his father to give a statement as a witness. He was then sent away with his father. No arrests or detentions have been made," the Crime Branch said.
Speaking briefly to reporters, a visibly shaken Aryan recounted the moment he unknowingly documented the unfolding disaster.
“I felt very scared because of what I witnessed,” he said. “My sister was the first to see the video and informed my father. I had no idea the flight would crash.”
According to family members, the tragedy has had a significant impact on Aryan. His sister reported that he struggled to talk following the incident and had a strong desire to move out of the location, which he now links with danger and trauma.