By The Sampadak Express
A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday as Air India Flight 171, bound for London, crashed in Ahmedabad with 244 people on board, including 232 passengers and 12 crew members. While emergency responders rushed to the scene, videos circulating on social media show onlookers allegedly blocking rescue operations while attempting to record the scene with their mobile phones.
The video footage has triggered a heated debate online, with many criticizing the crowd’s behaviour for lacking civic responsibility. One user who shared the video commented, “We, the people of India, are with zero civic sense. Crowd only blocking the rescue operation after the Air India Plane Crash in Ahmedabad.”
Another expressed frustration, writing, “People are becoming so insensitive, they just want to take a video of everything! No matter what happens.” Similarly, others pointed out that the urge to capture videos for social media seems to outweigh the urgency of assisting victims. “Everyone wants the video on their phone. That’s the priority,” one user remarked.
Several netizens called for better awareness, stressing the need to instill basic civic sense across the country. “In India, we all need to give basic civic sense to everyone,” one comment read, while another stated, “Everyone wants something for their reels.”
However, not all reactions were critical. Some defended the crowd, dismissing the allegations. “Stop spewing venom at every opportunity. Nobody here is seen blocking. The only thing blocking seems to be your non-existent brain,” a user shot back.
Another argued, “You seem to have zero sense. No one is blocking the road. This kind of reaction is very normal at such sites.” One supporter added, “This is Gujarat. People only want to contribute and help the victims. So, it’s not correct to say there’s zero civic sense.”
Air India Chairman Issues Statement
Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran confirmed the crash with “profound sorrow,” extending heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the devastating incident.
In his statement, Chandrasekaran emphasized that the airline’s immediate priority is to provide support and assistance to those impacted. He assured that Air India is closely coordinating with emergency response teams at the crash site and has activated an emergency centre to provide timely information and care to families.“
Dedicated support teams have been set up to help families seeking information. Further updates will be shared as we receive verified information,” he added.
