Must Read
A 40-year-old British national, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, has stunned the world as the sole survivor of the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff, claiming over 200 lives, including those on the ground.
Ramesh, seated in 11A, a window seat in the economy class, miraculously escaped by jumping from the plane’s emergency exit just moments before it burst into flames. Speaking from his hospital bed at Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Ahmedabad, he described the horrifying moment: “Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise, and the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran.” He sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet but is stable and under treatment.
Ramesh, who has lived in London for 20 years with his wife and child, was returning to the UK after visiting family in Diu with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in a different row. Sadly, Ajay remains missing, and Ramesh is desperate for news of him. “I can’t find him anymore. Please help me,” he pleaded with reporters.
A video circulating on social media shows Ramesh limping towards an ambulance, blood on his face and shirt, as bystanders surround him. Some reports suggest a last-minute seat change from 11J to 11A may have played a role in his survival, though this remains unconfirmed. Seat 11A, located near an emergency exit, likely gave him the chance to escape the wreckage.
The crash, the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has left India and the UK in mourning. Among the passengers were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The plane hit a doctors’ hostel and a student canteen, killing at least five medical students and injuring 50 others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words,” while rescue efforts continue amidst the debris.
Ramesh’s survival is being hailed as a miracle, with many praising his quick thinking. The cause of the crash is under investigation, with possible factors including a bird strike or engine failure. For now, the focus remains on supporting the victims’ families and uncovering answers to this devastating disaster.
