British-Indian man walks from wreckage as death toll remains unconfirmed
A BRITISH-INDIAN man has miraculously survived the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad that left the wreckage of Flight AI171 strewn across a residential area and claimed an unknown number of lives.
Ahmedabad police have confirmed that 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a UK resident from London, is the sole confirmed survivor of the disaster as of Thursday afternoon (June 12). He had been in India visiting family and was returning home to London with his brother, who was also on board the ill-fated flight.
Speaking from his hospital bed to the Hindustan Times, Mr Ramesh said the crash happened within seconds of take-off.
“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” he said.
Despite suffering multiple injuries, including bruising to his chest, eyes and feet, Ramesh remained conscious and able to recall the horrific aftermath.
“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”
He is reportedly being treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and is in a stable condition. The survivor still had his boarding pass on him when he arrived at the hospital.
Earlier in the day, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanendra Singh Malik confirmed to the Associated Press that there was at least one survivor and that emergency responders were continuing to search the wreckage. Full details of fatalities and injuries have yet to be confirmed.
The Air India flight, bound for London Gatwick, crashed into the Meghani Nagar district shortly after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38pm local time. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people, including 53 British nationals.
Authorities remain on high alert, with ongoing investigations and rescue efforts at the scene. The Indian government and Air India have pledged full cooperation with the inquiry and support for victims’ families.
