In the aftermath of the devastating Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, a viral video capturing the plane's final moments has become a crucial piece of evidence. However, the teenager who initially claimed to have filmed the video is now retracting his statement, asserting that he merely screen-recorded it from another source.
Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old from Aravalli, was questioned by the Ahmedabad police after the video, showing the aircraft plummeting to the ground and erupting in flames, rapidly spread across social media. Initially, Aryan was identified as the source of the footage, with reports suggesting he had been casually filming planes taking off near his home when the tragedy unfolded.
However, during the police inquiry, Aryan reportedly stated that he did not shoot the video himself. He claimed that a friend had originally filmed the incident, and he had only screen-recorded it before sharing it with his father, who may have further disseminated the clip. Following the questioning, Aryan was handed back to his mother, and attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.
The video's emergence and subsequent virality have added another layer of complexity to the already traumatic event. The footage provides a chilling glimpse into the final seconds of the flight, capturing the aircraft losing altitude and crashing into a building on a medical college campus near the airport. The crash resulted in the deaths of 241 of the 242 people on board, as well as several individuals on the ground.
Aryan's initial account of filming the crash by chance painted a picture of a routine activity turning into a harrowing experience. According to earlier reports, he had been in the habit of recording planes taking off, and on that fateful day, he captured the Air India flight's tragic descent. He recounted feeling scared and shocked by what he witnessed, sharing the video with his sister and father shortly after.
The police have clarified that Aryan is being treated as a witness in the investigation and has not been arrested or detained. Their statement emphasized that "a screen recording of a mobile video went viral," and Aryan provided details about the video to the police.
Regardless of the video's origin, its impact on Aryan has been significant. Reports indicate that he has been traumatized by the experience, struggling to sleep and expressing a desire to move away from the area due to the distressing memories. He told reporters he was simply filming the plane on his mobile phone near his rented home, completely unaware that the aircraft would soon transform into a "ball of fire." His sister also voiced concern for her brother's well-being, stating that he was very scared and did not want to live there anymore. He had dreams of travelling in a plane. Now, he feels, he “will never sit in an aeroplane”.
The Air India AI-171 crash has sent shockwaves through the aviation community and the public alike. As investigations continue to determine the cause of the disaster, the viral video, regardless of its exact origin, remains a crucial piece of visual evidence, offering a glimpse into the tragedy's final moments.
