Ramesh Viswashkumar, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, has been confirmed as the only survivor of the Air India flight AI171 crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical college hostel near the airport, resulting in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew. The impact triggered a fire that destroyed the aircraft and damaged several surrounding structures.
Viswashkumar, who was seated in 11A, managed to escape through an emergency window before the aircraft was fully engulfed in flames. He is currently receiving medical treatment at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where his condition has been described as stable but critical.
Authorities are continuing rescue operations, with DNA testing underway to assist in victim identification. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), alongside local emergency services, has been deployed to the site.
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a ₹1 crore compensation for each bereaved family. A helpline number (1800 5691 444) has been established for families seeking information.
Government officials, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, have visited the site and assured the public that a full investigation is underway.
“I don’t believe how I survived. For some time, I thought I was also going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could. It was in front of my eyes that the air hostess and others died,” he told India’s state broadcaster, DD News.
Viswashkumar had been seated in 11A, near an emergency exit, an apparent factor in his survival. According to officials, the aircraft came to rest in such a way that the fuselage split near its section, revealing a narrow opening. The opposite side was completely crushed against the hostel building.
“The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft. So when my door broke, I tried to escape through it, and I did,” he recalled.
Footage of Viswashkumar, limping, bloodied, and dazed, wandering the streets outside the crash site has gone viral, a haunting visual of survival amid catastrophe.
Medical personnel treating him described his condition as stable, with no life-threatening injuries.
“His escape… and without any grievous injury, was nothing short of a miracle. He also realises that and is a bit shaken by the trauma of it too,” a hospital official told Reuters.
Watch the video below;
A video of British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, believed to be the lone survivor of Air India flight 171, walking from the crash site and getting into an ambulance that took him to the hospital for medical care. May god bless him and aid in his long road of recovery. pic.twitter.com/nLNk8UIRjo
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