Meet the seventeen-year-old who filmed the fiery crash of Air India flight from rooftop
A teenager visiting Ahmedabad may have captured vital evidence that could help investigators understand what caused an Air India flight to crash shortly after take-off.
Seventeen-year-old Aryan Asari was filming planes from the rooftop of a building near the airport when the Dreamliner 787-8 went down in flames before his eyes.
Aryan, who had arrived in the city just hours earlier to visit his father, had been fascinated by the sight of low-flying planes and decided to record a video to share with friends.
He had climbed to the terrace with his sister and a friend when the flight passed unusually close overhead. Within seconds, the plane plunged and exploded, leaving a trail of fire and smoke.
Flight AI 171, headed to London, crashed less than a minute after take-off, killing 241 people on board and causing several deaths on the ground.
Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Aryan’s video, which shows the aircraft moments before the crash, quickly spread on social media and drew the attention of the police.
The teenager has since given a witness statement to the Ahmedabad Crime Branch.
His family said he has been deeply shaken by the experience and decided to return to his village to recover and continue his education.
Residents described him as visibly disturbed in the hours after the crash.
The video, which may hold important clues, is now part of the official investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
