Vishwash Kumar Ramesh told the Hindustan Times he heard a "loud noise" around 30 seconds after take-off before the plane plummeted to earth. Picture: Hindustan Times
A British national has miraculously survived the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that went down Thursday afternoon shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The flight, AI171, was en route to London Gatwick with 242 people on board.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that one person survived the crash, which killed 241 others, including passengers and crew. “The survivor was found in seat 11A and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital,” he told Indian Express.
The individual has been identified in some reports as 38-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar, a British national. According to local sources, he escaped by jumping through an emergency window. However, other outlets report that the survivor’s identity has not been officially disclosed.
The crash occurred just five minutes after takeoff, in a densely populated residential area near the B.J. Medical College hostel and canteen. The impact caused significant loss of life on the ground, particularly among medical students present at the time. Emergency services have recovered over 200 bodies from the crash site. DNA testing is underway to identify the deceased.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (tail number VT-ANB) was carrying 230 passengers, two pilots, and 10 cabin crew members. The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been in contact with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and has mobilised disaster response teams to assist in recovery and support. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, who visited the crash site, called the scene “deeply distressing.”
Air India’s parent company, Tata Group, announced compensation of ₹1 crore (approximately USD 120,000) for the families of each deceased individual. A dedicated hotline (1800 5691 444) has been set up to provide updates and assistance to the families of those affected.
World leaders have expressed condolences. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio all issued statements of support to the families of the victims.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in coordination with other regulatory bodies, is investigating the cause of the crash. Boeing has confirmed that it is cooperating with authorities and assisting with the investigation.
This Air India crash marks the first-ever fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its commercial debut in 2009.
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