British man survives Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed 241. UK families mourn, officials begin probe.
Sole British survivor of Ahmedabad air disaster says he has “no idea”
how he escaped the wreckage.
Ahmedabad, India — A British man has emerged as the sole survivor of Air
India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing
241 people aboard. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who resides in London, was seated
in 11A and miraculously survived the fiery wreckage. The Boeing 787-8
Dreamliner was en route to London Gatwick when it plummeted into a densely
populated residential area on Thursday afternoon.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through both India and the United
Kingdom, particularly among the British Gujarati community. Among the 242
people on board, 53 were British nationals, and at least three families from
the UK have been confirmed dead.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was traveling back to London after visiting
relatives in Gujarat. From his hospital bed in Ahmedabad, he told reporters he
had “no idea how I exited the plane.” Ramesh suffered multiple injuries but is
now in stable condition, doctors said.
"Thirty seconds after takeoff there was a loud noise and then the
plane crashed. It all happened so quickly," he recounted to the Hindustan
Times. Ramesh recalled waking up to bodies around him and wreckage strewn
across the site.
Ramesh’s younger brother, Nayan, who lives in Leicester, said the family
was "devastated" upon hearing the news. "We were just shocked.
He’s alive, but we still don’t know about our other brother," he said.
Ahmedabad police commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed that Ramesh was the
only passenger found alive and was discovered by rescue workers amid the debris
at BJ Medical College, where the plane crashed.
The crash occurred at 1:38 p.m. local time, minutes after the aircraft
departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Eyewitnesses
reported a massive explosion and thick smoke rising over the Meghani Nagar
neighborhood.
Video footage showed the Dreamliner flying low over homes before
disappearing behind trees and erupting into flames. The crash embedded wreckage
into the side of the medical college, killing dozens inside the building.
At a community center in Harrow, north-west London, prayer services were
held Thursday night. The International Siddhashram Shakti Centre hosted
mourners, including Labour councillor Aneka Shah-Levy, who said the community
was "in shock and sadness."
Navin Shah, a former chair of the London Assembly and a native of
Gujarat, said he was overwhelmed after speaking with family in Ahmedabad.
"The horror and disbelief is impossible to describe," he said.
Retired police officer Bhupendra Buch revealed that his uncle’s
granddaughters were on the flight. "We still don’t know if they’re among
the victims," he said, as names continued to emerge.
Among the dead were Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their
four-year-old daughter from Gloucester. The Gloucester Muslim Community
confirmed their deaths and urged respect for the family’s mourning period.
Also onboard were Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, a married couple from
Kent who operated a spiritual wellness center. They had shared social media
posts just hours before the crash, describing their “magical” experiences in
India.
Spiritual leader Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who heads the Harrow temple,
said he personally knew “13 or 14” people believed to be among the victims.
"It is a very big disaster," he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the incident "an international
tragedy," and King Charles and Queen Camilla issued a rare joint
statement, expressing being “desperately shocked.” Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi called the loss “heartbreaking beyond words.”
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch in the UK has dispatched
officials to India to assist with the inquiry. Indian aviation authorities have
grounded similar aircraft until further safety checks are completed.
With families awaiting formal identification of the deceased,
communities in Leicester, Harrow, and Brent are preparing additional prayer
vigils in the coming days.
“This is a day we won’t forget – for all the wrong reasons,” Shah-Levy
said.
COMMENTS