A miracle unfolded at the scene of the Air India Flight AI171 crash, where over 200 people lost their lives. After authorities declared there were no survivors, one man emerged from the burning wreckage and walked to an ambulance on his own.
The survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, a British national, was rescued from seat 11A and is currently receiving treatment at Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed.
“There were bodies all around me, there were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance,” Vishwash told News18 from his hospital bed.
He suffered impact injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, according to media reports.
Commissioner Malik had earlier stated that survival was unlikely, but later confirmed to ANI: “The police found one survivor in seat 11A. He is under treatment. We can’t confirm the final death toll yet, as the crash occurred in a residential area and that number may rise.”
Vishwash was returning to London after visiting family in Gujarat. He was traveling with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who is still unaccounted for.
“Within 30 seconds, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Vishwash recalled.
This man walking in white shirt Mr. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, Seat 11 A has survived the today's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It's a miracle. He is the only one survivor confirmed by Ahmedabad Police. Thanks God. pic.twitter.com/gGLgt479m5
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) June 12, 2025
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, bound for London Gatwick. The plane struck a doctors’ hostel near a medical college, killing residents and causing a massive fire.
Emergency teams rushed in as thick smoke billowed from the site. More than 50 injured people are now receiving hospital treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the crash as “heartbreaking beyond words,” assuring full government support for victims’ families and calling for a thorough investigation.
“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it,” Modi said.
