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At least five die, about 100 hospitalised due to heatstroke at IAF’s air show at Chennai Marina Beach

At least five have died while about hundreds attending IAF's airshow at Chennai Marina beach fainted due to heatstroke.

k. Nitika Shivani

Published Oct 06, 2024 | 8:59 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 07, 2024 | 10:38 AM

IAF airshow at Chennai marina beach turn deadly

Crowd at Chennai marina beach

Indian Air Force’s (IAF) airshow in Chennai’s Marina Beach on Sunday, 6 October to commemorate the force’s 92nd anniversary turned deadly for at least five people, who died after passing out due to heatstroke.

Of the approximately 4,00,000 people who gathered to watch the show at the beach, over 200 fainted due to heatstroke, five of whom have been declared dead. Of these, 93 individuals required urgent medical attention and were transported by 40 ambulances to the Omandurar Government Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment for heat-related issues.

The deaths of Srinivasan (48) from Perungalathur, Karthikeyan (34) from Thiruvottiyur, and John (56) are being attributed to poor crowd management, even as there are concerns that the toll might increase.

IAF’s show, which took place in Chennai after two decades has drawn people’s criticism because despite being widely promoted by both the IAF and Tamil Nadu government authorities, officials were allegedly not prepared to handle the enormous crowd that showed up.

People fainted supposedly because they couldn’t find any drinking water nearby and it was overcrowded to the extent that, even ones who wanted to get out were trapped.

Also Read: Clash of the Deputy CMs: It’s Tamil Nadu vs Andhra over Sanatana Dharma

Poor crowd management or lack of transport? 

After witnessing the aerial display by the Indian Air Force, the crowd overflowed at Velachery railway station as attendees attempted to return home, causing significant congestion that surpassed even the numbers at Marina beach.

In response to the high volume of attendees, Chennai Metro authorities announced that its services had been extended for those returning from the event. A post in social media said that it’s trains were operating every 3.5 minutes between Vannarapettai and DMS railway stations, and every seven minutes between Vimko Nagar and the airport.

After facing backlash for not taking effective measures to address the overwhelming crowd, Chennai division of the Southern Railway issued a press note detailing the steps taken. Acknowledging that the footfall was six times the regular numbers, it failed to specify how many additional MRTS trains were deployed to manage the situation.

The press note read, “Frequent announcements were made urging passengers to utilize the UTS mobile app and QR codes for ticket purchases, with widespread publicity promoting this initiative. All Section Commercial Inspectors were deployed at the stations to assist passengers, and booking staff encouraged the purchase of return tickets, which were also prominently displayed on notice boards. To monitor and manage the crowds effectively, Commercial Inspectors and RPF teams were assigned to the key stations, ensuring that passengers were handled smoothly.”

The statement also said that while the footfall usually was around 55,000 passengers, by 4.30 pm, the footfall had surged to approximately 300,000.

People have taken to social media to criticise the DMK government in Tamil Nadu for not taking any precautions, to the extent that even ambulances apparently couldn’t enter the beach to take the fainted people to hospital.

Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with ministers and Air Chief Marshal Amarpreet Singh were in attendance, but the tragic outcome has raised serious questions about crowd management and safety protocols at such large-scale events.

The air show, featuring an impressive display of 72 aircraft, captivated the crowds and earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records.

(Edited by Neena)

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