A lone survivor of the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171 has shared his terrifying experience, describing the chaos that unfolded moments after the plane took off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 carrying 242 people bound for London, crashed shortly after departure, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. Authorities have confirmed the loss of more than 200 lives.
The survivor, 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar, was seated in 11A. Speaking from his hospital bed, he said, “Just thirty seconds after take-off, I heard a loud noise—and then the crash happened. Everything happened so fast.”
“When I opened my eyes, there were bodies everywhere. I was terrified. I stood up and ran. Wreckage was scattered all around,” he recalled. “Someone helped me into an ambulance and brought me here.”
Ramesh was traveling with his brother Ajay, who was seated in another row. “I haven’t been able to find him. Please help me locate him,” he pleaded.
A video circulating online shows a visibly injured Ramesh limping toward an ambulance, surrounded by concerned bystanders.
The plane came down in a densely populated residential area, crashing into a medical college hostel outside the airport perimeter around lunchtime. Its intended destination was Gatwick Airport in southern England.
Ahmedabad police chief GS Malik reported that 204 bodies had been recovered from the scene. He initially stated there were no survivors, but later confirmed one person was undergoing treatment—Ramesh.
