Air India Crash’s Sole Survivor Recalls Harrowing Experience

AHMEDABAD: A passenger plane bound for London crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, leaving only one known survivor among the 242 people on board. The aircraft struck buildings that housed doctors and their families.

While initial fears suggested all passengers had perished, state health official Dhananjay Dwivedi confirmed to AFP that there was one survivor: Ramesh Viswashkumar, who was hospitalized following the incident.

The British national, Ramesh, sustained “impact injuries” to his chest, eyes, and feet and is currently undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital, Asarwa, in Ahmedabad.

“About thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise, and then the plane went down,” Ramesh Viswashkumar recounted from his hospital bed to the Hindustan Times, showcasing his boarding pass for seat 11A.

He mentioned that his brother, Ajay, was seated elsewhere in the plane. “He was traveling with me, and I can’t find him. Please help me locate him,” he pleaded.

“This tragedy in Ahmedabad has left us shocked and heartbroken beyond words,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated following the crash of Air India flight 171 shortly after take-off.

“One half of the plane collided with a residential building where doctors lived with their families,” remarked Krishna, a doctor who chose not to provide his full name.

“The nose and front wheel of the aircraft landed on the canteen building, where students were having lunch,” he added.

India’s Civil Aviation Authority stated that there were 242 individuals on board, including two pilots and ten cabin crew members.

According to Air India, the flight included 169 Indian passengers, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian en route to London’s Gatwick Airport.