A 38-year-old British national has been identified as the sole survivor of yesterday’s tragic Air India accident in Ahmedabad, India.
Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport. It claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew members.
The crash, which occurred in a built-up area adjacent to Ahmedabad Airport has also resulted in additional fatalities on the ground. Reports are still coming in, and the extent of the tragedy is still to be confirmed.
A senior police official, Vishaka Dabral, reported at least 28 ground fatalities, bringing the total death toll to at least 269.
A doctor at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital subsequently told CNN that the total death toll reached at least 290. This included passengers, local residents, and individuals in the medical college hostel.
Sole Survivor of Flight AI171 Tragedy
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 38-year-old British national of Indian origin, emerged as the sole survivor.
Ramesh, who had been living in London for 20 years, was returning to the UK. He had been visiting family in Gujarat with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh.
Ramesh had been seated in seat 11A near an emergency exit. He recounted hearing a loud noise just 30 seconds after takeoff, followed by the plane’s rapid descent. The Air India Boeing 787 then aircraft descended into a medical college in a residential area of Ahmedabad.
At Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, doctors described Ramesh as disoriented but stable. Dr. Dhaval Gameti and Dr. Rajnish Patel noted he sustained bruising to his chest, eyes, and feet. He was reported as being “out of danger” and not in critical condition.
Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah visited him in hospital. Footage aired by Indian news channel TV9 showed Ramesh limping toward an ambulance. Medical staff suggested he could be discharged within days.
Recovery Efforts Continue
The Air India crash, one of the deadliest in recent aviation history, involved 242 passengers, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian national.
The plane’s impact in a densely populated area amplified the tragedy, with debris scattered across the site. One black box has reportedly been recovered from the crash site.
The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch and the US National Transportation Safety Board are assisting Indian authorities to determine the cause.
In a BBC interview from Leicester UK, Vishwash Ramesh’s cousin, Ajay Valand, expressed relief at his survival but uncertainty about his brother’s fate.
Air India has established a hotline (+91 8062779200) for foreign nationals seeking information.
