Chennai air show turns tragic as 3 die due to dehydration, 230 spectators hospitalised

An air show in Chennai took a devastating turn after three spectators died, and 230 others were hospitalised due to dehydration.

The event, held to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force left attendees overwhelmed due to the combination of high temperatures and overcrowding.

The people who died in the incident have been identified as Srinivasan (48) from Perungalathur, Karthikeyan (34) from Thiruvottiyur, and John (56) from Korukuppet.

After the grand air show came to standstill due to poor coordination by traffic authorities, lakhs of people were left stranded in Chennai while several parts of the city witnessed similar occurrences as the massive crowd, gathered at Marina Beach, struggled to disperse after the event.

The air show, which aimed to enter the Limca Book of World Records by gathering around 16 lakh people, began at 11 am and continued until 1 pm. However, thousands of people had already gathered as early as 8 am to secure a good spot, under the blazing sun.

Several elderly attendees fainted due to heat exhaustion before the event even started.

Moreover, access to water was removed after nearby water vendors were removed. The crowd later attempted to exit simultaneously onto Kamarajar Salai, leading to a complete traffic blockade and many people were forced to sit along the roadside to recover their strength.

Fortunately, residents near the beach came to the rescue, offering drinking water to those in need. Metro stations became overwhelmed as people sought alternative ways to return home.