A tragic day turned into a miracle when British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh became the sole survivor of the Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, crashed just 30 seconds after take‑off, killing 241 onboard and at least 28 on the ground. Ramesh, seated in 11A by the emergency exit, managed to walk away with minor injuries, a moment captured in harrowing footage shared widely online.
Flight AI 171 was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick when it veered off course and slammed into a hostel near B.J. Medical College during lunch hour, resulting in one of the deadliest single-plane accidents in India’s history. Early reports indicate a mayday call was issued at approximately 625 ft altitude before all communication ceased.
Miraculously, Ramesh emerged from the crash site amid flaming wreckage, blood-stained but conscious, and made it to an ambulance on foot. A police officer confirmed he was seated by the exit door and likely jumped through when the cabin broke. Another eyewitness described Ramesh limping, bruised by the fireball, but still alive and aware.
From his hospital bed, a shaken but grateful Ramesh said he “doesn’t know how I’m alive.” He called home to Leicester, telling family he saw bodies and debris all around as he escaped. Soon after, he video-called loved ones to reassure them he was safe, his sole focus now on surviving another day.
The tragedy echoes through Ramesh’s family story: his brother Ajaykumar, seated just across the aisle in seat 11J, tragically did not escape. Vishwash’s younger brother, Nayankumar, said it was both a miracle and a heartbreak; he rushed to India after learning one brother lived and another didn’t.
Authorities report more than 240 passengers and crew died, in addition to residents at the medical hostel and area campus, bringing total fatalities above 269, including students and medical staff. Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, intensifying national grief.
Ramesh’s survival stands as a rare, uplifting twist in a panorama of devastation. He is stable in the hospital, conscious, and recovering from cuts and bruises. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi have both visited him, offering government support and commemorating his unexpected escape.
As the world mourns, Ramesh’s survival brings a glimmer of hope: one man walking away from catastrophe, carrying his pain and grief, but choosing life. His journey from wreckage to recovery is a story that is heartbreaking yet undeniably hopeful.
0 Comments