The young videographer, Aryan Asari, grapples with trauma and attention following the aviation disaster near Ahmedabad that claimed numerous lives.
**Teen Witness to Air India Crash: A Life Forever Changed**
**Teen Witness to Air India Crash: A Life Forever Changed**
A 17-year-old captures the tragic moment of an Air India plane crash, impacting his life and community.
Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old from Ahmedabad, is now known globally for filming the devastating crash of an Air India Dreamliner 787-8 shortly after takeoff. Just days ago, spotting an airplane was a beloved pastime for Aryan, who enjoyed the sound of engines and the sight of contrails in the sky. However, that changed dramatically when tragedy unfolded before his eyes last Thursday.
Filming from his father's terrace, Aryan was mesmerized by the aircraft until he noticed it wobbling dangerously in the air. "It was going down and down... then it crashed right before my eyes," he recounted in an interview with BBC Gujarati. His footage has become an essential part of the investigation into the crash, which resulted in the deaths of 241 individuals on board and caused many casualties on the ground.
Despite his eagerness to pursue his passion for aviation, Aryan's experience has led to severe trauma. His father, Maganbhai Asari, speaks of the overwhelming media attention surrounding their family post-crash, stating, "We have been swamped by interview requests." This hyper-focus has only added to the boy’s distress, prompting him to avoid using his phone and retreat further into himself.
At the time of the crash, Aryan was in Ahmedabad for the first time, accompanying his older sister, who was there for a police entrance exam. After a family lunch, he ventured out to capture videos of their surroundings, but his innocent hobby took a dark turn when the aircraft crashed into Meghaninagar, a residential area close by.
Mr. Asari later recounted his son's fearful call after the incident, with Aryan crying out, "I saw it crash." This frantic call echoed the chaos that unfolded moments after the disaster. The family’s quiet life changed overnight, as they quickly found themselves in the eye of a media storm, with reporters and neighbors seeking answers.
As Aryan sought to cope, he forwarded the video to several friends, inadvertently distributing a critical piece of evidence that soon went viral. Days of media attention took their toll on the teenager. Police also interrogated him for several hours, exacerbating his already fragile emotional state.
In response to the trauma, the family made the difficult decision to return Aryan to their ancestral village, hoping to provide him with some needed distance from the incident. Though he has resumed school, he struggles to regain his former self, as even the sound of a phone ringing can fill him with dread. Mr. Asari remains hopeful for his son’s recovery but acknowledges that Aryan may never look at airplanes the same way again.
Filming from his father's terrace, Aryan was mesmerized by the aircraft until he noticed it wobbling dangerously in the air. "It was going down and down... then it crashed right before my eyes," he recounted in an interview with BBC Gujarati. His footage has become an essential part of the investigation into the crash, which resulted in the deaths of 241 individuals on board and caused many casualties on the ground.
Despite his eagerness to pursue his passion for aviation, Aryan's experience has led to severe trauma. His father, Maganbhai Asari, speaks of the overwhelming media attention surrounding their family post-crash, stating, "We have been swamped by interview requests." This hyper-focus has only added to the boy’s distress, prompting him to avoid using his phone and retreat further into himself.
At the time of the crash, Aryan was in Ahmedabad for the first time, accompanying his older sister, who was there for a police entrance exam. After a family lunch, he ventured out to capture videos of their surroundings, but his innocent hobby took a dark turn when the aircraft crashed into Meghaninagar, a residential area close by.
Mr. Asari later recounted his son's fearful call after the incident, with Aryan crying out, "I saw it crash." This frantic call echoed the chaos that unfolded moments after the disaster. The family’s quiet life changed overnight, as they quickly found themselves in the eye of a media storm, with reporters and neighbors seeking answers.
As Aryan sought to cope, he forwarded the video to several friends, inadvertently distributing a critical piece of evidence that soon went viral. Days of media attention took their toll on the teenager. Police also interrogated him for several hours, exacerbating his already fragile emotional state.
In response to the trauma, the family made the difficult decision to return Aryan to their ancestral village, hoping to provide him with some needed distance from the incident. Though he has resumed school, he struggles to regain his former self, as even the sound of a phone ringing can fill him with dread. Mr. Asari remains hopeful for his son’s recovery but acknowledges that Aryan may never look at airplanes the same way again.
