The sole survivor of Air India Flight 171, which crashed with 242 passengers and crew, has described his miraculous escape from the fiery wreckage that claimed 265 lives including his brother and 24 victims on the ground.
“I Opened My Eyes and Realized I Was Alive”
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh (40), seated in 11A, survived Thursday’s crash when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner exploded shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
“Everything happened in front of me… I thought I was about to die,” Ramesh told DD News from his hospital bed, his voice breaking. “I saw the air hostess and passengers… then unfastened my seatbelt when I spotted an opening.”
The 90-Second Nightmare
- 0-60 sec: Plane developed apparent mechanical issues after takeoff
- 60 sec: Cabin lights flashed as aircraft accelerated toward a hospital hostel
- Impact: Ramesh landed in debris away from the main fireball
- Escape: Limped away with burns, later seen in viral footage wearing a bloodied shirt
National Mourning
- Death toll: 265 (including 24 ground victims)
- Victims: 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian, and 12 crew
- PM Modi visited Ramesh in hospital (footage on official channels)
- DNA testing underway for remains identification
Crash Aftermath
The London-bound flight’s full fuel load created an intense fireball upon hitting residential buildings near the airport. Rescue teams continue recovering remains as grieving families gather at mortuaries.
