The survivor has been identified as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who is currently receiving treatment at the Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Ahmedabad. He is being treated in the general ward for “impact injuries” to his chest, eyes, and feet.
Published Jun 12, 2025 | 10:02 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 12, 2025 | 10:30 PM
A British national, Ramesh had been visiting family in India and was returning to the UK with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh.
Synopsis: A British resident, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, has been identified as the sole survivor of Air India flight AI171, which crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday. The London-based 40-year-old is being treated for multiple injuries at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital.
A sole survivor has been reportedly found among the 242 people on board Air India flight AI171, which crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on the afternoon of Thursday, 12 June. The flight was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
The survivor has been identified as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who is currently receiving treatment at the Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Ahmedabad. He is being treated in the general ward for “impact injuries” to his chest, eyes, and feet.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed to a news agency that the survivor was located at seat 11A and remains under medical care.
He said, “The death toll may rise as the aircraft crashed in a densely populated residential area.”
A British national, Ramesh had been visiting family in India and was returning to the UK with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh.
“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” he reportedly told Hindustan Times.
“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. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”
Ramesh has been living in London for 20 years, along with his wife and child. His brother was seated in a different row on the flight.
“We visited Diu. He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he added.
Meanwhile, among the deceased being identified, 40-year-old Renjitha R Nair, a native of Pullad in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, is the first confirmed victim from South India.
Renjitha, a former nurse at Kozhencherry Government Hospital, had previously worked in Oman and was preparing to leave for the UK for a new job.
She had travelled from Kochi to Ahmedabad on Wednesday. She is survived by her mother and two children, who are studying in classes 10 and 7.
Fresh CCTV footage shows the 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London, taking off and struggling to gain altitude.
After reaching a barometric altitude of just 650 feet, the aircraft rapidly plunged into a residential area just outside the airport perimeter, crashing into the undergraduate hostel mess of B J Medical College in Meghani Nagar and catching fire.
On board were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The aircraft had reportedly issued a Mayday call before losing contact with air traffic control.
While an official count of ground casualties has yet to be released, a postgraduate student told South First that three MBBS students had died, and more than 50 others were injured.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Ahmedabad hospital on the evening of Thursday, where the injured are undergoing treatment. Most of the injured are believed to be from a medical college hostel, where the aircraft came down.
Shah expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash.
“There is a possibility of several deaths in the crash,” he said. He added that an official death toll could only be confirmed following DNA testing of the families of the passengers on board the Air India flight that crashed on Thursday afternoon.
“The plane was fully loaded with fuel, and the temperature soared to such a high level because of the burning fuel that the chance to save anyone was slim,” Shah said.
During his visit, the Home Minister also chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Gujarat government to coordinate rescue operations, medical response, and the ongoing investigation.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the company is doing everything possible to understand the reasons behind the crash.
“This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones. I know that there are many questions, and at this stage, I won’t be able to answer all of them,” he said in a statement.
“Investigations will take time. But anything we can do now, we are doing. We know that many people are concerned for the welfare of their loved ones. We have set up a special helpline that friends and family can reach us at. The number is 1800-56-91-444. That is 1800-56-91-444. We understand that people are eager for information.”
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, who was attending events in another state at the time, rushed to the crash site.
“We are going to do a fair and thorough investigation, and probe why this incident happened. We still have to find out the numbers,” he said.
“I am totally shaken by the tragic and horrific incident. I am still in a state of shock. The PM called me and asked me to be here at the site. At this time, I can only think of the passengers and their families. Many agencies have been engaged in rescue operations. I don’t want to say anything about the numbers yet. We are extending all help.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
