Vishwashkumar Ramesh recalls his narrow escape and the aftermath of the crash that claimed numerous lives.
Survivor's Harrowing Escape from Air India Plane Crash
Survivor's Harrowing Escape from Air India Plane Crash
A British man's firsthand account of surviving the Air India disaster highlights resilience amidst tragedy.
In a harrowing tale of survival, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only person to survive the recent Air India crash, described how he extricated himself from the wreckage. Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old British man shared the details of his escape, recounting that he had to unbuckle his seatbelt and push through an opening in the airplane's fuselage after the Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, Western India.
Ramesh was seated in 11A on the flight to London when the tragic incident occurred. He revealed that moments after takeoff, the plane filled with flickering lights and an ominous sensation that it was hanging motionless in mid-air before it slammed into a building used for medical staff housing. Tragically, despite his miraculous escape, all other passengers and crew were killed, including 169 Indian citizens and 52 British nationals, with the death toll expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.
As he described the traumatic moments of the crash, Ramesh indicated that the portion of the plane he was in landed safely on the ground, allowing him a chance to escape, while the side of the aircraft that impacted the building became impassable. "When the door broke, I found space to get out," he said. "No one could have escaped from the other side, which crashed into the wall."
With one black box recovered, officials are working diligently to determine the cause of the accident. Eyewitness videos showed Ramesh walking away from the scene with smoke rising, a sight that underscores the miracle of his survival. “I saw people dying right in front of me – the air hostesses and others,” he recounted emotionally. “For a moment, I thought I would die too, but when I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive.”
Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who treated Ramesh for his injuries, stated that while he was disoriented, he is currently in stable condition. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with Ramesh and other injured survivors in the hospital. Meanwhile, Ramesh's family, including his brother and cousins, are in communication and are seeking support from the British government, anxious to reunite with him.
Vishwashkumar, who immigrated to the UK from India in 2003, lives with his wife and four-year-old son. The devastating incident has sparked widespread tributes for the victims, and further investigation is underway to clarify the circumstances surrounding the crash involving the Air India flight AI171.
Ramesh was seated in 11A on the flight to London when the tragic incident occurred. He revealed that moments after takeoff, the plane filled with flickering lights and an ominous sensation that it was hanging motionless in mid-air before it slammed into a building used for medical staff housing. Tragically, despite his miraculous escape, all other passengers and crew were killed, including 169 Indian citizens and 52 British nationals, with the death toll expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.
As he described the traumatic moments of the crash, Ramesh indicated that the portion of the plane he was in landed safely on the ground, allowing him a chance to escape, while the side of the aircraft that impacted the building became impassable. "When the door broke, I found space to get out," he said. "No one could have escaped from the other side, which crashed into the wall."
With one black box recovered, officials are working diligently to determine the cause of the accident. Eyewitness videos showed Ramesh walking away from the scene with smoke rising, a sight that underscores the miracle of his survival. “I saw people dying right in front of me – the air hostesses and others,” he recounted emotionally. “For a moment, I thought I would die too, but when I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive.”
Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who treated Ramesh for his injuries, stated that while he was disoriented, he is currently in stable condition. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with Ramesh and other injured survivors in the hospital. Meanwhile, Ramesh's family, including his brother and cousins, are in communication and are seeking support from the British government, anxious to reunite with him.
Vishwashkumar, who immigrated to the UK from India in 2003, lives with his wife and four-year-old son. The devastating incident has sparked widespread tributes for the victims, and further investigation is underway to clarify the circumstances surrounding the crash involving the Air India flight AI171.
