Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 45-year-old British citizen, was the only survivor of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The crash tragically killed 241 people on board. He says he still cannot believe that he lived through it.

The crash happened just after takeoff

The flight had just taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Soon after, it crashed into a nearby medical college building. There were 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 12 crew members on board.

He escaped from seat 11A

Ramesh was sitting in seat 11A, which was close to an emergency exit. Speaking to DD News, he recalled, “Even I can't believe how I came out of it alive. For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can't believe how I survived.”

The moment of impact

According to Ramesh, shortly after takeoff, the lights in the cabin started flickering. Then, the aircraft rammed into a building. However, the part of the plane where Ramesh sat did not hit the roof. Instead, it stayed on the ground.

He said, “At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage. I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.”

Ramesh added, “I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me … I walked out of the rubble.”

He came to India for a short trip

Ramesh had travelled to India to visit his family. He was flying back to the UK with his brother.

Later, he told Hindustan Times, “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”

Amid the tragedy of the Air India plane crash, a remarkable story emerges: Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national from Leicester seated in 11A, was the sole survivor, escaping with only minor scratches. #AI171 #AirIndia #AirIndiaPlaneCrash #planecrash pic.twitter.com/yO3NFNrbtQ

— Swati Choudhary (@JohnBridge73341) June 13, 2025

He remains in shock

Now, Ramesh is safe in the hospital. Even now, he struggles to understand how he survived such a terrible crash.