A tragic incident at an Indian Air Force airshow on Sunday at Chennai’s Marina Beach left four attendees dead and over 90 hospitalized due to fainting and dehydration. The event drew an estimated 1.5 million spectators, setting a record for airshows in the region.
As the show concluded, a massive crowd attempted to exit simultaneously, resulting in a stampede-like situation. Exit points became severely congested, leaving many trapped for more than 40 minutes under the sweltering sun. In the rush to escape, some attendees broke through barricades, causing minor injuries to children caught in the turmoil.
Ambulances struggled to navigate through the throngs of people, remaining stuck for over 30 minutes, which delayed the transport of those in need to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) and Omandurar Government Hospital. Although around 50 ambulances were deployed, maneuvering through the dense crowd proved difficult.
Among the deceased was D John, 56, from Korukkupet, who collapsed after watching the show near the Parthasarathy Temple Arch around 3 PM. An ambulance could not reach him in time, and he was declared dead upon arrival at Omandurar Hospital.
Karthikeyan, 34, from Thiruvottiyur, experienced chest pains while riding his bike after leaving the event and collapsed near INS Adyar. He was also pronounced dead at RGGGH.
Dr. E Theranirajan from RGGGH stated, “The cause of death can be determined after a postmortem. Heat stroke cannot be ruled out.” The other two victims included Srinivasan from Chromepet, who died while retrieving his bike with his daughter, and Dinesh from Tambaram, who suffered a heart attack.
In total, over 230 individuals were treated for fainting and dehydration, with 93 requiring hospitalization. The intense heat and chaotic exit left many attendees seeking relief. “It was suffocating; I had been stuck for over 40 minutes trying to get my mother, who uses a wheelchair, out,” recounted attendee S Sukshma. Compounding the situation, mobile signal jammers disrupted coordination of rescue and medical efforts.
