In the crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, over 200 people have lost their lives. Amidst the wreckage, rescue teams have found one survivor — 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Vishwash, seated at 11A, was rescued from the debris and is currently receiving treatment at Civil Hospital, Asarwa. According to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, the survival was unexpected, as earlier chances of any survivors had been ruled out. The final death toll remains uncertain as the crash impacted a residential area, claiming additional lives on the ground.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Vishwash recounted the horrifying moments after takeoff. “There were bodies all around me, pieces of the plane everywhere. Someone grabbed me and put me in an ambulance,” he said. He sustained impact injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. Vishwash was traveling with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, whose condition is still unknown.
The flight, carrying 242 passengers and crew, was en route to London Gatwick when it crashed into a doctors’ hostel near a medical college, triggering a massive fireball and injuring over 50 people. Emergency responders are actively treating the injured and managing the rescue operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words” and assured full government support for the victims’ families. He has urged a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.
