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In the aftermath of the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI171, which claimed 241 lives shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, the sole survivor has come forward with a gripping account of the tragedy.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, miraculously escaped the catastrophe that struck just 30 seconds after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner left the runway.
Flight AI171, bound for London Gatwick with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, experienced a loud noise moments after takeoff before it plummeted into a densely populated residential area near the airport, igniting a massive fireball.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh in hospital
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The aircraft reached an altitude of only around 625 feet before crashing, making it one of the deadliest civil aviation disasters in over a decade.
Ramesh, seated in emergency exit row 11A, was found alive amid the wreckage with injuries to his chest, face, and feet.
He is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
Despite his injuries, Ramesh described the chaos and horror he witnessed. "Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly," he told reporters from his hospital bed.
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Eyewitness footage shows Ramesh limping away from the crash site, assisted by emergency responders.
Indian police revealed that he had leapt from the plane just before it went down, a desperate act that likely saved his life.
According to Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in Ahmedabad, "He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door.”
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Wreckage of Air India Flight AI171 crash
The survivor recounted the terrifying moments after the crash: "There were dead bodies around me. I got scared. I got up and ran. There were pieces of the plane everywhere."
Tragically, his brother, who was travelling with him, did not survive the disaster.
The crash has prompted a thorough investigation, with Boeing and Indian aviation authorities working to determine the cause of the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the crash site and meet with the injured, including Ramesh, underscoring the national significance of the tragedy.
As the community mourns the loss of 241 souls, Ramesh’s survival stands as a rare and poignant testament to human resilience amid one of the worst air disasters in recent memory