Sole Survivor Recounts Horror as Air India Crash Kills 241 in Ahmedabad
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
The lone survivor of the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad has shared his harrowing experience, describing how he leapt to safety after the aircraft slammed into a building, killing 241 passengers and crew.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, a London-based IT professional, was the only passenger to escape alive after the London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, went down in a densely populated residential area near Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, erupting into flames upon impact.
Ramesh is being treated at a local hospital for multiple injuries. According to Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who examined him, Ramesh was disoriented and covered in wounds but is no longer in critical condition.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh recounted the terrifying moments leading to the crash. "Immediately after takeoff, it felt like the plane got stuck," he said. "It started descending suddenly and then split in two." Sitting in seat 11A, located next to the emergency exit, Ramesh described how that side of the plane tore into the ground floor of a nearby building on impact. "The door came off and I saw an opening. I just jumped out," he said.
Ramesh also recalled seeing two air hostesses die right in front of him, saying, "I don’t know how I’m alive. I thought I was going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I was still breathing." He suffered burns on his arm while escaping the wreckage and was captured on camera hobbling away from the smoldering jet.
Tragically, Ramesh’s brother was also on board and is presumed among the dead. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me,” he said. “There were pieces of the plane everywhere. Someone helped me into an ambulance, and I was brought here.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ramesh and other injured victims on Friday and surveyed the crash site. “We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad,” Modi stated. “The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words.”
The crash occurred when the aircraft struck a multi-story building housing medical students. Many were killed on the ground, including college students. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the site, as emergency crews battled the flames and began recovery operations.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an inquiry, following international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that DNA testing is underway to identify the charred remains of the victims.
A team from the United States, including experts from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and General Electric, is expected to assist in the investigation.
Authorities have yet to retrieve the aircraft’s black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder — as search efforts continue.
Outside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, grieving families gathered on Friday, waiting for news and mourning their losses. For many, the tragedy leaves behind a permanent void.
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