Official investigation findings or government statements

Five Dead at Indian Air Force's Chennai Air Show Amid Overcrowding and Heat

Oct 7, 2024, 03:45 AM

An Indian Air Force (IAF) air show held at Chennai's Marina Beach resulted in tragedy as the death toll rose to five due to crowd control failures and extreme heat. The event, intended to set a record with military flight demonstrations, attracted unexpectedly large crowds under blazing sun, leading to chaos and, ultimately, fatalities. Opposition leaders criticized the ruling DMK government for its handling of the event. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the government for failing to properly coordinate and make adequate arrangements. AIADMK's Kovai Sathyan stated, "In front of my eyes, children were falling." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) labeled the incident a "man-made, sponsored disaster," with Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy accusing state authorities of not cooperating with the IAF. DMK leaders responded to the criticism, maintaining that the event was well organized and that the government had coordinated arrangements based on the Air Force's demands. DMK MP Kanimozhi expressed sadness over the deaths, stating that unmanageable gatherings should be avoided. DMK leader TKS Elangovan acknowledged that the crowd was larger than Marina Beach could hold but noted that similar incidents have happened elsewhere. The DMK also denied that deaths occurred due to a stampede-like situation. India Today's Shiv Aroor remarked, "Something very, very wrong has taken place on the ground; accountability will need to be fixed." The Indian Air Force has not commented on the incident. Investigations are underway to determine the causes of the fatalities and whether proper safety measures were in place.