Ahmedabad Plane Crash Survivor Shares Miraculous Escape Story
Survivor's Harrowing Account
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad, recounted his terrifying experience shortly after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a conversation with a national broadcaster, he detailed how his seat, 11-A, was positioned in a section of the aircraft that collided with the ground floor of a building.
As a British citizen of Indian descent, Vishwash managed to unbuckle his seatbelt and exit the plane, despite suffering burns on his left hand due to the ensuing fire.
Describing the chaos, he mentioned seeing the bodies of fellow passengers and crew members. "The side where I was seated was not adjacent to the hostel; it was the ground floor of the building," he explained. He was uncertain about the fate of others but noted that his section of the plane had landed on the ground floor, allowing him a narrow escape.
Upon breaking free from the wreckage, he noticed a wall on the opposite side where the plane had crashed, which likely prevented others from escaping. "I don't know how I survived. My left hand was burned in the fire, and I was later taken to the hospital where the staff treated me kindly," he added.
Vishwash described his survival as miraculous, recalling that he initially feared for his life. "PM Modi inquired about the incident, which unfolded right before my eyes. I couldn't believe I was alive. I thought I would perish, but when I opened my eyes, I was still here. I managed to escape from the wreckage, surrounded by the bodies of others," he said.
He further explained that shortly after takeoff, the plane felt as if it was stuck for several seconds. "The aircraft was illuminated with green and white lights, and I believe it accelerated for takeoff before crashing into the hostel building. It all happened so quickly," he recounted.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi visited the crash site to assess the situation following the tragic incident involving Air India flight AI-171, which crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad International Airport.
The Prime Minister also visited the civil hospital to meet the injured. Tragically, 241 individuals, including 12 crew members, lost their lives in the crash, as confirmed by Air India. The flight, which was en route to London Gatwick, had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board.
The aircraft crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, colliding with a hostel for resident doctors shortly after takeoff. The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an experienced pilot with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
According to Air Traffic Control, the aircraft took off from runway 23 at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) and issued a Mayday call before losing contact and crashing outside the airport perimeter.