A British man has emerged as the only survivor of a catastrophic Air India plane crash that killed 241 people moments after take-off in western India.
Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who was seated in 11A on the London-bound flight, somehow walked away from the flaming wreckage, bloodied and disoriented, as smoke billowed from the crash site near Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat.
The Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787, was en route to London Gatwick when it plummeted into residential accommodation housing trainee doctors less than a minute after take-off. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
“He Has No Idea How He Survived”
Speaking to the BBC, Vishwashkumar’s brother Nayan Kumar Ramesh said:
“He has no idea how he survived, how he got out of the plane. When he called us, all he could say was: ‘Find Ajay, find Ajay.’ That’s our other brother who was also on board.”
Air India has confirmed that all other passengers and crew were killed, including 169 Indian nationals and 52 Britons.
Footage verified by the BBC shows Mr Ramesh walking towards an ambulance with visible injuries. A separate video captured the final moments before the crash, showing the plane descending rapidly before erupting in a fireball.
Survivor Meets India’s Interior Minister
Mr Ramesh, who has lived in the UK since 2003, is a father of one and a businessman. He was later seen in hospital, where he met India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah.
According to Dr Dhaval Gameti, who treated him:
“He was disoriented, with multiple injuries across his body. But he is out of danger.”
Indian media has confirmed that Mr Ramesh’s boarding pass matched the manifest and seat number 11A.
Families in Mourning
Several British families have already been named among the dead:
- Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their daughter Sara, were identified by the Gloucester Muslim Society.
- Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, a London couple who ran a spiritual wellness centre, were also believed to be on board. Hours before the flight, they shared an upbeat video to Instagram talking about their return to England.
- Javed and Mariam Syed from West London are feared to have died with their two young children.
- In Blackburn, 72-year-old Adam Taju, his wife Hasina, 70, and their son-in-law Altfahusen Patel, 51, are among those presumed dead.
National and Global Reaction
The King issued a rare public statement, saying he and the Queen were “desperately shocked” by the incident and offering “deepest possible sympathy” to the families of those affected.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the incident “absolutely devastating” and expressed support for grieving families. His Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, said the loss was “heart-breaking beyond words”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has mobilised crisis teams in both India and the UK and chaired a Cobra emergency meeting this morning. A reception centre for relatives has been set up at London Gatwick, where the flight was due to arrive at 18:25 BST.
The Foreign Office has urged concerned British nationals to call 0207 008 5000 for consular assistance.
What Happened to Flight AI171?
Air India confirmed that flight AI171 took off at 13:39 local time (08:09 GMT). Less than 60 seconds later, it crashed into a building used to house junior doctors. The death toll is believed to include victims on the ground, though numbers have not been confirmed.
An investigation into the crash is now underway.
