An Indian-origin British national who miraculously survived the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight 171 said he was thrown from the plane when it split mid-air, just seconds after take-off.
The crash killed 241 people, making it the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in over a decade.
Flight 171 was en route from Ahmedabad, in India’s Gujarat state, to London Gatwick when it failed to climb, plummeting into a residential building that housed a doctors’ hostel shortly after take-off on Thursday afternoon.
Miraculously, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated near the emergency exit, emerged as the sole confirmed survivor of the crash that claimed the lives of all other 241 people on board — including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian — as well as several people on the ground.
“He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body,” Dr Dhaval Gameti told media, who treated Ramesh after he was rushed to hospital.
“But he seems to be out of danger.”
A second medic who examined him added:
“He told me that immediately after the plane took off, it began descending and suddenly split in two, throwing him out before a loud explosion.”
Ramesh, bloodied and limping, was captured on social media footage stumbling through the wreckage in a torn white T-shirt and dark trousers, surrounded by fragments of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Eyewitnesses said he was pulled into an ambulance by bystanders. “There were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran,” Ramesh told the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed.
“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.”
His seat number, 11A, was near an emergency exit — a detail that may have saved his life. Police in Ahmedabad confirmed that he had “managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door,” according to Senior Police Officer Vidhi Chaudhary.
Still in shock, Ramesh is desperately searching for his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who had been seated elsewhere on the plane. “We visited Diu,” he said, referring to the coastal town they had travelled to together.
“He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him.”
His cousin in Leicester, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, said Vishwash video-called their father moments after the crash. He told Sky News, “He video-called my dad as he crashed and said, ‘Oh, the plane’s crashed. I don’t know where my brother is. I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive, how I exited the plane.’”
“It is a miracle that Vishwash survived. What about the other miracle — for my other brother? Just hearing about this crash… I’m scared to fly now.”
According to Air India, the Dreamliner departed Ahmedabad International Airport at 1.38pm local time. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft struggled to gain altitude and crashed into the medical hostel during lunchtime. The airline confirmed in a statement on X:
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones.”
Ramesh, who has lived in London for 20 years, is married with a young son. His relatives have confirmed he spoke with family members in the UK via FaceTime after the crash. His cousin, Ajay Valgi, told the BBC:
“He only said that he was fine, nothing else. We’re not doing well. We’re all upset.”
As rescue operations continue, authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more survivors among the injured. Officer Chaudhary said:
“Chances are that there might be more survivors among the injured who are being treated in the hospital.”
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has expressed deep sorrow over the fatal crash of Air India Flight 171 and announced a compensation package of ₹1 crore for the family of each person who lost their life in the disaster.
In a heartfelt statement following the tragedy, Chandrasekaran said:
“We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171.
No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured.”
Chandrasekaran said the Tata Group, which owns Air India, would also cover all medical expenses for the injured and provide further structural support.
“We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical’s hostel,” he said, referring to the residential building the plane crashed into.
The tragedy, one of the deadliest in modern aviation, has shaken the nation and the global Indian diaspora. With investigations still ongoing and grieving families awaiting answers, Chandrasekaran emphasised the company’s ongoing commitment:
“We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time.”
Emergency response teams, Air India personnel, and Tata Group officials have been deployed to Ahmedabad to assist with recovery, counselling, and logistical support.
For now, Ramesh stands as the lone figure to emerge alive from the charred remains of Flight 171 — a survivor of unimaginable horror and grief, still searching for his missing brother.
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