In one of the deadliest aviation disasters India has seen in decades, an Air India Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing more than 240 passengers and crew.
Remarkably, a lone survivor has emerged from the wreckage, 40-year-old British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
Ramesh was seated in 11A aboard Air India flight AI171, which was en route to London when it crashed into a residential area minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner burst into flames upon impact.
Amid the devastation, Ramesh was spotted limping away from the smoldering wreckage, bloodied and dazed, before being helped into an ambulance by a bystander.
He is currently hospitalized with injuries that doctors have deemed non-life-threatening, though the emotional trauma is profound.
Ramesh recalled the horror he experienced:
“Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and the plane crashed. It all happened so fast, when I got up, I was surrounded by bodies.”
In a chilling account, he added: “I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were bodies all around me.”
His younger brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, speaking from Leicester, expressed the family’s shock:
“We were just shocked. I last spoke to him yesterday morning. He said, ‘I have no idea how I exited the plane.’”
Another relative, Jay, shared more about Vishwashkumar’s state following the crash:
“He was covered in blood. He asked, ‘Where’s Ajay?’ He’s doing well physically, but mentally it’s a big shock. We don’t have words.”
Vishwashkumar was traveling with his elder brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who remains missing.
“He was travelling with me, and I can’t find him anymore,” Ramesh reportedly told rescue workers.
The survivor, who has lived in the UK for two decades, was visiting family in India and had been returning to the UK with Ajay when the tragedy struck.
His cousin is also among those unaccounted for.
As investigations into the cause of the crash commence, Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced that a formal probe is underway.
“The investigation will be in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation,” he stated.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg also pledged cooperation:
“The Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation into the crash.”
Though the 787 Dreamliner has a reputation for safety, this is the first crash involving this particular model.
The plane, in service for over a decade, had logged more than 41,000 flight hours and nearly 8,000 takeoffs and landings.
Air India confirmed the aircraft carried 242 people, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and 11 children.
However, Indian officials listed the number as 244, a discrepancy yet to be resolved.
This tragic incident now ranks as the deadliest global air crash in a decade and the worst in India since the 1996 mid-air collision over Haryana that killed 349.
Concerns about Boeing safety have resurfaced. The manufacturer is still recovering from past issues involving the 737 Max, which was grounded globally following two fatal crashes.
Last month, the U.S Justice Department offered Boeing a deal to avoid prosecution for misleading regulators before those accidents.
World leaders have reacted with sorrow and solidarity.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X:
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
U.S. President Donald Trump also responded:
“The plane crash was terrible. They (India) will handle it, I am sure, but I let them know that anything we can do, we’ll be over there immediately. That is a terrible crash. It’s one of the worst in aviation history.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote:
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating. I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”
King Charles expressed his condolences:
“My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this (Thursday) morning.
“Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, also offered sympathies:
“Saddened by the tragic crash of Air India flight near Ahmedabad today. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims grieving this immense loss.”
