Mon Oct 07 01:11:42 UTC 2024: ## Chennai Air Show Draws Record Crowd, Ends in Tragedy

Chennai, India – A massive air show held on Sunday in Chennai to commemorate the Indian Air Force’s 92nd anniversary drew a record-breaking crowd of 1.5 million people, but the event was marred by tragedy. Five people died, and over 200 fell unconscious due to the overwhelming crowds and scorching heat.

The air show, which lasted two hours from 11 am, drew such a large crowd that it has been officially recognized in the Limca Book of World Records. However, the lack of proper crowd management and essential services led to chaos.

Thousands of people arrived at Marina Beach as early as 8 am, facing soaring temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. The massive crowd, which swelled throughout the day, overwhelmed the 40 ambulances deployed for emergencies, rendering them ineffective. Hundreds were forced to walk three to four kilometers through congested streets, many of them children, exhausted and dehydrated. The lack of adequate water supply at the beach left people thirsty for hours, and many food vendors were unable to meet the demand.

Adding to the mayhem, a stampede occurred at a local railway station after the show ended at 1 pm, with people rushing to leave. Similar scenes unfolded at various metro stations.

The air show itself was a spectacular display of aerial prowess, featuring 72 aircraft, including the Rafale, Surya Kiran, and Sarang. The highlight of the show was the vintage Harvard T-6G Texan aircraft, which was used by the Indian Air Force as an intermediate trainer until 1974. Other aircraft on display included the Tejas Advanced Light Combat Aircraft, Sukhoi 30 MKI, C17, C-295, Apache, Prachand Light Combat Helicopter, and the Dakota.

This was the first flypast and aerial display in Chennai in 21 years, making the event highly anticipated. The Indian Air Force chose to host the Air Force Day air show outside Delhi for the third time, holding it in Prayagraj last year and Chandigarh in 2022.

Prior to the Air Force Day, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, speaking at a press conference, emphasized the need to surpass China in technology and speed when it comes to manufacturing military equipment. He also reiterated the air force’s objective of producing all its weapons within India by 2047 as part of its indigenization program.

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