A 40-year-old British national is believed to be the only person who survived the devastating crash of Air India flight 171, which went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12 with 242 passengers and crew on board.
Identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the survivor was found amid the wreckage and rushed to a hospital with injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. “It all happened so quickly,” he told Hindustan Times from his hospital bed. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran.”
Ramesh, who showed media his boarding pass confirming he was seated in 11A, recalled being pulled into an ambulance by a bystander and taken for treatment. Authorities confirmed his identity but said a full accounting of the victims is still underway.
The Boeing 787-8 was en route to London and crashed less than a minute after departure. According to Air India, the flight was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese passengers, and one Canadian. The cause of the crash has not yet been disclosed.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed that Ramesh appears to be the only known survivor but noted that final casualty figures are still being verified.
Tragically, Ramesh’s brother, Ajay, who was seated in another part of the aircraft, remains missing. “He was traveling with me, and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he pleaded.
Search and recovery operations continue as investigators work to determine what brought down the aircraft so suddenly.
