Indian authorities have confirmed that one man miraculously survived the de.adly Air India plane cr.ash that occurred earlier on Thursday, June 12.
The ill-fated Air India flight AI 171 was en route to London Gatwick and was scheduled to land in the UK at 6:25 pm local time.
Tragically, the aircraft went down shortly after departing from Ahmedabad Airport, crashing into a densely populated residential area known as Meghani Nagar.
Officials also reported that the plane struck a medical college hostel during the incident.
According to Air India, the flight was carrying 242 passengers. The airline stated: “Among them were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian citizen, and seven Portuguese nationals.”
Initially, authorities feared there were no survivors, but Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik later confirmed that one individual had been found alive.
“The police discovered one survivor in seat 11A,” he told ANI.
“He was located at the hospital and is currently undergoing treatment. It is too early to determine the final d3ath toll, especially since the plane cr.ashed into a residential area.”
The lone survivor has been identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian national. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Ramesh recounted the terrifying moments following the cr.ash.
“It happened so fast,” he said. “I heard a loud noise, then everything went dark. When I came to, there were bodies everywhere. I was in sh0ck. I got up and ran. Debris was all around. Someone pulled me into an ambulance, and I was taken to the hospital.”
Ramesh had been seated in seat 11A, while his brother, who was also on the flight, was sitting in a different part of the plane.
In the aftermath, Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy.
“It is with great sadness that I confirm Air India flight AI171, operating between Ahmedabad and London Gatwick, was involved in a terrible accident today. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of everyone affected.”
He added, “Our immediate focus is on supporting those impacted by this horrific event. We are working closely with emergency responders on the ground and doing all we can to assist survivors and their families. We will provide more verified information as it becomes available. An emergency centre has been activated, and dedicated support teams are assisting the affected families.”
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, also issued a statement via Chandrasekaran, pledging financial compensation to the families of all those on board, along with covering medical expenses for the injured.
