A glimmer of hope emerged from tragedy on Thursday after Indian officials confirmed that one passenger miraculously survived a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed more than 260 lives.
The crash involved Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, which erupted into flames shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, in the western state of Gujarat. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, smashed into a medical staff hostel near the airport, killing several people on the ground as well.
Initial reports from authorities suggested there were no survivors. But hours later, Gujarat’s Health Department principal secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi confirmed that one person had indeed survived and was receiving treatment in hospital. No further details about the survivor’s condition were immediately shared.
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited both the crash site and the hospital, said he was “pained beyond words” by the disaster in his home constituency. However, he acknowledged the unexpected survival story, stating he had personally spoken with the survivor.
Indian media widely identified the man as 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who had been seated in 11A. Social media videos showed a man—bloodied, limping, but conscious—walking toward an ambulance in the aftermath. He was one of 53 British citizens aboard the flight.
The BBC reported speaking with his cousin, Ajay Valgi, in Leicester, who said Ramesh had called family to let them know he was safe. His brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, also confirmed the phone call, quoting Vishwash as saying, “I have no idea how I exited the plane.”
While the survival of one sparked hope, the broader picture remains grim. Many of the passengers were families returning home or elderly parents traveling to visit loved ones in the UK. Bodies were recovered both from the aircraft’s wreckage and the nearby hostel buildings it struck.
Authorities are now focused on the harrowing task of identifying the deceased. The government has set up DNA testing facilities at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad and urged families to provide samples to aid in identification, as many bodies were badly burned.
Air India is arranging special relief flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad to assist the next of kin of passengers and crew members.
Videos circulating online captured the horrifying moment the fully fueled aircraft exploded into a fireball shortly after takeoff. Investigators are continuing to search the smouldering wreckage for clues to what caused the crash.
