'I felt very scared': 17-year-old boy who shot viral Air India plane crash video records statement
Air India plane AI-171 losing height and gradually bursting into a massive ball of fire — all the moments are evident in a viral clip of a 17-year-old, who recorded all of it by chance. The teen Aryan, recorded his statement with Ahmedabad Police on Saturday, said officials.
'I felt very scared because of what I witnessed. My sister was the first one to see my video, who then informed my father. I had no idea the flight would crash,' the 17-year-old told PTI.
Aryan said the crash happened 24 seconds after he started recording.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch confirmed in a statement that the teenager's testimony was recorded as a witness.
Aryan, as per PTI, had been casually filming a plane taking off — a routine habit — when a tragic twist of events turned his footage into a chilling record of one of the worst disasters in the history of aviation.
Plumes of thick smoke filled Ahmedabad skies on Thursday, June 13, after an Air India flight en route London smashed into BJ Medical College and Hospital shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Airport.
As many as 270 people, including MBBS students, a PG resident doctor, 241 people on board the ill fated flight, were killed in the deadly crash.
Only one person, an Indian-born British national miraculously survived. He was seated on 11A at the time of the crash.
Hours after the lethal crash, Air India owner – Tata Sons – announced a compensation of ₹ 1 crore for each of the victim's families. On Saturday, Air India announced an additional interim payment of ₹ 25 lakh for the deceased's families, and the lone survivor.
The 17-year-old Aryan was not just scared. The deadly crash had traumatised him to an extent that he was not able to speak properly.
The family's landlady said Aryan remained awake through the night after the crash out of distress and had not eaten anything. He needed constant reassurance to regain his composure, the woman told PTI.
Responding to speculations that the 17-year-old had been detained for making the video, police said: '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.'
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