Ahmedabad, India – June 13, 2025 — The lone survivor of a catastrophic Air India plane crash that claimed 265 lives has spoken publicly about his miraculous escape, saying even he is struggling to comprehend how he made it out alive.
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, was the only person aboard the London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to survive after it erupted into flames moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, laden with fuel for the long-haul journey to London Gatwick, crashed into residential buildings near the airport, killing all 241 others on board and at least 24 people on the ground, according to police.
From his hospital bed, Ramesh recounted the terrifying sequence of events in an emotional interview with India’s national broadcaster, DD News, speaking in Hindi.
“Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn’t believe how I managed to come out alive from that,” Ramesh said. “Initially, I thought I was about to die. But then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.”
A Shocking Turn Moments After Takeoff
Ramesh, who was seated in 11A, said the flight had barely taken off when things took a tragic turn.
“Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly… it felt like something got stuck. I realised something had happened, and then the plane’s green and white lights turned on,” he recounted. “The plane seemed to speed up and then headed straight towards a building, it turned out to be the hostel of a hospital. Everything was visible right before my eyes.”
The impact caused an explosion, engulfing the aircraft and surrounding buildings in flames. Authorities say the wreckage extended across several blocks, complicating rescue and recovery efforts. DNA testing has been initiated to help identify the severely burned remains of victims both from the flight and the ground.
Narrow Escape from the Inferno
Ramesh described a narrow and surreal escape from the fiery wreckage.
“I saw the air hostess and aunties and uncles all in front of me,” he said, using a respectful Indian term for older individuals. “I unfastened my seatbelt and tried to escape, and I did.”
He believes that his position on the aircraft played a crucial role in his survival. “I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel. Where I landed was closer to the ground and there was space too, when my door broke, I saw that there was space, and I thought I could try to slip out.”
Footage circulating on social media shows Ramesh limping in a blood-stained t-shirt toward an ambulance, moments after escaping the wreckage. He sustained burns and other injuries, mainly to his left arm, but was able to walk.
“My left hand got slightly burnt due to the fire, but an ambulance brought me to the hospital,” he said. “The people here are taking good care of me.”
Brother Among the Victims
Adding to the personal tragedy, Ramesh’s family in Leicester, United Kingdom, confirmed that his brother was also on the ill-fated flight and did not survive.
National and International Response
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ramesh at the Ahmedabad hospital on Friday, a moment captured and shared on the Prime Minister’s official YouTube channel. Modi expressed condolences to the families of those lost and praised the medical staff caring for Ramesh.
Air India confirmed the aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members. The airline and Indian aviation authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash, which remains unknown at this time.
The tragic incident marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history. Grieving families have begun gathering in Ahmedabad and at airports across the world as the painstaking process of victim identification and body repatriation begins.
For now, the story of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh stands as a rare glimmer of survival amid overwhelming loss, a man who walked out of a fireball and now carries the weight of memory, grief, and unanswered questions.
Written By Rodney Mbua
