Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh looks to be the sole survivor of doomed Air India flight 171, which crashed shortly after taking off for London’s Gatwick Airport today
The miracle survivor of the Air India crash has told of getting up after the tragedy to find “bodies all around me”. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was sitting in seat 11A on the doomed plane, which crashed shortly after take-off in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad.
The Brit is believed to be the only survivor from the 242 passengers and crew, who were on a Air India flight 171 bound for London’s Gatwick Airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, including 53 Brits, 169 Indians, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members, with 11 children believed to be onboard.
Vishwash told the Hindustani Times: “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”
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The 40-year-old, who has lived in London for 20 years, had been visiting family in India. He reportedly suffered chest, eyes and feet injuries on impact, saying chillingly that when he got up after the crash “there were bodies all around me”.
“I was scared,” he added of the horrific aftermath. “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.”
Vishwash’s brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, is thought to have been sitting in a different row of the plane. “He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore,” said the heartbroken sibling. “Please help me find him.”
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed the survivor’s incredible story to India media channel ANI on a phone call. “The police found one survivor in seat 11A,” he said.
“One survivor has been found in the hospital and is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area.”
At least 204 bodies have been recovered from the Air India Flight 171 crash site near Ahmedabad Airport, according to the local police chief. This number may include both people who were on board the plane and those who died on the ground when it crashed.
The aircraft plummeted towards the ground shortly after take-off around 9.40am this morning (1.40pm local time). More than 100 bodies were taken to hospitals in the Gujarat area, local health officials confirmed.
Gatwick Airport said that a special reception centre had been set up for relatives of passengers on board the flight in a post on social media: “We can confirm flight AI171 that was involved in an accident on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today (12 June) was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25 BST.
“The Boeing 787-8 aircraft had 242 passengers and crew members on board. London Gatwick is liaising closely with Air India and a reception centre for relatives of those on board is being set up where information and support will be provided. British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.”