Trauma Haunts Teen Witness of Air India Crash

When Aryan Asari, an aviation enthusiast, filmed the shocking crash of an Air India Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, he never anticipated the traumatic toll it would take on him and his family. The incident, which claimed 241 lives, has since left Aryan grappling with fear and anxiety, as he becomes a reluctant participant in the media frenzy surrounding the disaster.

On a seemingly ordinary Thursday, Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old boy from a village near Gujarat, found himself of the center of an aviation tragedy that would change his life forever. While filming videos of airplanes from his father's terrace in Ahmedabad, he witnessed the fatal descent of an Air India Dreamliner 787-8 just moments after takeoff. The plane crashed in a residential area, resulting in the loss of 241 lives on board along with nearly 30 more on the ground.

Aviation had long been Aryan's passion. His father, Maganbhai Asari, recalled how excited Aryan would get whenever he heard airplanes in the sky. Unfortunately, that joy was shattered the moment he realized the aircraft was in distress. "I saw the plane wobbling," Aryan recounted, "and then it crashed right before my eyes." The footage he captured is now a crucial piece of evidence for investigators seeking to understand why the tragedy occurred.

This traumatic experience has profoundly affected Aryan, who has retreated from social interactions, even shunning his phone for fear of revisiting that moment. "My son has been beside himself in horror," Mr. Asari shared, noting that Aryan's distress was so severe that he needed to return to their ancestral village for some respite.

The media whirlwind following the crash has overwhelmed the family, with reporters flocking to their small home, attempting to interview Aryan. While he initially shared the video with a few friends in a moment of shock, it quickly went viral, thrusting the family into unwanted public scrutiny.

Pressure from the media and the police has compounded Aryan's trauma, as authorities sought his account of what he saw. Despite their intentions, the interviews and attention further unsettled the teenager, leading to a swift decision by the family to seek a quieter life back in the village.

As Aryan attempts to return to normalcy by resuming school, the psychological impact of the incident looms large. His father reflects on the ordeal, acknowledging that while time may heal the wounds, he doubts Aryan will ever find joy in aviation again.