By A Correspondent
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only known survivor of the catastrophic Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, India, has described his miraculous escape, saying, “I don’t know how I’m alive.” The British national made the chilling statement in a video call to his father moments after the crash on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was en route to London Gatwick with 242 passengers and crew on board when it crashed into a medical hostel shortly after take-off. At least 204 bodies have been recovered, and dozens more are feared dead.
Ramesh, who was seated in seat 11A next to an emergency exit, managed to escape the wreckage by jumping out of the plane. Gujarat police official Vidhi Chaudhary confirmed, “He managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door.”
“There Were Bodies All Around Me”
Speaking to the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed, Ramesh recalled the moment of impact:
“It all happened so quickly. I heard a loud noise 30 seconds after take-off. When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me.”
He added that someone pulled him into an ambulance and rushed him to the trauma center. He suffered injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, but doctors have described his condition as stable.
Dr Shariq, who treated him upon arrival, told Sky News, “He was alright, had a few cuts on his hands and face. There was nothing majorly wrong. He limped a bit but was mentally shaken up.”
“Where Is My Brother?”
Ramesh’s brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told Sky News that their family was thrown into turmoil after learning that both Vishwash and another sibling, Ajay, were on board the doomed flight.
“He video called my dad as he crashed and said, ‘Oh, the plane’s crashed. I don’t know where my brother is. I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive—how I exited the plane,’” Nayan said.
Nayan, speaking from Leicester, revealed that Vishwash was due to be collected from Gatwick Airport that same evening.
“We had planned a family gathering this weekend. I’ve got no words to describe it. It’s a miracle that he survived—but what about the other miracle for my other brother?”
Three Britons Confirmed Dead
Among the deceased are three British nationals: Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa, and their four-year-old daughter Sara, according to a statement by the Gloucester Muslim Community.
Air India has confirmed that the plane was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
Tracking service Flightradar revealed the aircraft lost signal less than a minute after take-off, before crashing into the residential quarters of a medical school in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad.
UK and Indian Governments Respond
The UK Foreign Office has set up a support line for affected families and said it is “working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences via X (formerly Twitter):
“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.”
A “Miracle” Amid Tragedy
Footage shared online shows Vishwash Kumar Ramesh limping away from the crash site, bloodied but conscious. In the hospital, he was seen half-sitting on his bed, surrounded by police officers and medical staff.
Sky News correspondent Neville Lazarus, who spoke briefly with Ramesh in hospital, described the survivor as “conscious, alert, and bruised, but deeply shaken.”
Outside the hospital, the grim task of identifying the dead continues. According to staff, some bodies are “charred beyond recognition,” with DNA testing now required for confirmation.
As the world mourns the lives lost, one man’s survival stands out as a beacon of hope in the face of an unspeakable tragedy.