After a tragic plane crash in western India that left at least 240 people dead, there was a miracle find: A British man walked away seemingly unharmed from the crash.
After an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a residential area shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, all 244 passengers and crew aboard Flight AI171 bound for London Gatwick, only two survivors have been confirmed so far.
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, miraculously escaped the wreckage and was found injured but alive in a nearby neighborhood.
Ramesh, who had been visiting family in Gujarat, was seated in 11A and reportedly sustained minor injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. Speaking from his hospital bed, he described the terrifying moment the aircraft went down: “Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise, and then the plane crashed… there were bodies all around me.”
Video shows him walking through the local neighborhood before he was rushed to a nearby hospital. Take a look —
Ramesh Viswashkumar, The sole survivor of the Air India crash escaped by jumping from the plane. He was on seat number 11A. #AirIndia #AhmedabadNews #Gujarat #PlaneCrash #ITReel pic.twitter.com/NsMBeZOkbX
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) June 12, 2025
The passenger plane crashed into buildings housing medical staff from BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in the densely populated Meghani area of Ahmedabad. Authorities reported extensive structural damage to nearby buildings, with parts of the fuselage embedded in a local hospital. Rescue teams rushed through burning debris in search of survivors.
Police said a second survivor was later found within the hospital complex, though their identity has not yet been released. At least 204 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, with the death toll expected to rise as search efforts continue.
Flight tracking services showed the aircraft reached just 625 feet in altitude before losing power and descending rapidly. Possible causes of the crash include a dual engine failure, bird strike, or mechanical malfunction. The crew had issued a mayday call moments before the crash.
The Indian government has launched a full-scale investigation, with assistance from the U.S. and U.K. authorities. Boeing stated it is “working to gather more information,” while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the crash “devastating” and pledged support for affected families.
This is believed to be the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Flight operations at Ahmedabad Airport have been suspended indefinitely.