A 17-year-old boy who inadvertently filmed one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters has come forward to share his experience, two days after a harrowing Air India crash claimed over 265 lives shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The teen, Aryan had been recording a mobile video of an aircraft's takeoff, a hobby he frequently indulged in, when tragedy struck.
Just 24 seconds into filming, the Ahmedabad-London flight veered off course and crashed into a building on a nearby medical college campus, erupting into flames. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board, along with several others on the ground.
The video, which quickly spread across social media, captured the final moments of the flight and has since become a key piece of visual evidence in the investigation.
Aryan recorded his statement with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Saturday, accompanied by his father. Police confirmed he is being treated solely as a witness and dismissed rumors suggesting any arrest or detention related to the viral footage.
“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 and was then sent away. No arrests or detentions have been made,” the Crime Branch clarified in an official release.
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.”
Family members say Aryan has been deeply affected by the incident. His sister shared that he struggled to speak after the event and expressed a strong desire to move out of the area, which he now associates with danger and trauma.
(With inputs from PTI)