In a tragedy that has claimed the lives of over 240 people, a single survivor has emerged from the wreckage of Air India Flight 171, offering a harrowing account of the disaster and a glimmer of hope amidst unimaginable loss. Ramesh Viswashkumar, a 40-year-old British national, was the only known survivor out of the 242 passengers and crew onboard the London-bound flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 12 June 2025.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Viswashkumar recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the crash. He explained that he had been seated near an emergency exit, which ultimately proved to be his salvation. "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," Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times. "Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital."
While it remains unclear whether Viswashkumar managed to jump out before the plane made impact, his proximity to the emergency exit undoubtedly played a crucial role in his survival. Social media footage shown on Indian news channels depicted a man resembling Viswashkumar, with a bloodstained white T-shirt, dark pants, bruises on his face, and a goatee beard, limping on a street and being helped by a medic.
In the video, people gathered around the injured man, asking about the other passengers. His heartbreaking reply: "They're all inside." Reuters was unable to immediately verify the video.
A photo of Viswashkumar’s boarding pass, published by the Hindustan Times, confirmed that he was seated in seat 11A of the plane, bound for Gatwick Airport. He also revealed that his brother, Ajay, had been seated in a different row and pleaded for help in finding him.
"He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door," confirmed Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in Ahmedabad.
A member of Viswashkumar’s family based in Britain, who requested anonymity, confirmed to Reuters that he had survived and that the family was in touch with him, but declined to share further details. Ajay Valgi, a cousin of Viswashkumar who lives in Leicester, central England, told the BBC that Viswashkumar spoke by phone to confirm he was all right. “He only said that he was fine, nothing else,” said Valgi.
The family, however, remains deeply concerned about Ajay. “We’re not doing well. We’re all upset,” said Valgi. Viswashkumar is married with one child, a boy.
Despite the slim possibility of finding more survivors, police stated that rescue operations were still ongoing. "Chances are that there might be more survivors among the injured who are being treated in the hospital," said Chaudhary.
The Air India tragedy marks the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed since the plane’s introduction in 2011. While airlines using the Boeing plane have had widespread problems with engines on the 787 – resulting in many having to ground planes and reduce flights – the 787’s safety record in service has so far been good.
The Indian-led crash investigation will include experts from the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch, because of the number of British victims, the US National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing. One of two black boxes has been found following yesterday’s crash, local newspaper Hindustan Times has reported.
Investigators will be looking to swiftly analyse this black box data. Despite its human toll, the Ahmedabad crash was relatively low-impact. CCTV footage shows the plane starting to descend just seconds after leaving the runway. According to flight-tracking information on Flight Radar, the plane had reached a maximum height of just 190 metres (625ft).
A Boeing spokesperson said: “We are in contact with Air India regarding flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.”
The crash has raised questions about the cause of the disaster. Weather conditions were benign. Images show the plane’s nose in the air, indicating the pilots were trying to keep it aloft, although the landing gear was apparently lowered. David Gleave, a former accident investigator, told the BBC: “It’s a very unusual accident … it’s a very unusual situation, so soon after takeoff, and it is a very safe aeroplane.”
John McDermid, a professor at the University of York, said: “Pilots can abort takeoff until quite late. So it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly … and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable.” Passenger aircraft are designed to be able to fly on one engine. Jason Knight, a senior lecturer in fluid mechanics at the University of Portsmouth, said: “The most likely cause of a double engine failure is a bird strike.”
As investigators work to determine the cause of the crash, the world mourns the loss of so many lives. The story of Ramesh Viswashkumar, the sole survivor, serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
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