In a shocking event, Vishwashkumar Ramesh managed to survive an Air India plane crash, making his way out of the wreckage after the aircraft struck a building shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recalls Miraculous Escape
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recalls Miraculous Escape
Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the recent Air India plane crash, shares harrowing details of his escape from the wreckage.
The lone survivor of last Thursday’s Air India plane crash, British citizen Vishwashkumar Ramesh, recounted his miraculous escape, revealing how he crawled out from the wreckage through a breach in the fuselage. The 40-year-old, who was seated in 11A of the Boeing 787 heading for London, survived what has become a tragic incident involving the loss of many lives, including 169 Indian and 52 British nationals.
In an interview from his hospital bed, Mr. Ramesh described how chaos unfolded shortly after takeoff as “the lights inside the aircraft started flickering.” He recalled an ominous feeling of the airplane being “stuck in the air” before it slammed into a building and exploded, a structure used for housing doctors at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital.
Despite the devastation surrounding him, Mr. Ramesh’s section of the aircraft landed safely on the ground, allowing him a chance to escape. “When the door broke and I saw there was some space, I tried to get out of there and I did,” he explained, contrasting his near miss with the tragic fate of others on board.
The precise cause of the crash remains under investigation, with one black box already recovered, which may provide crucial insights into the calamity. Video footage captured Mr. Ramesh emerging from the smoke-filled wreckage and approaching an ambulance, a sight that left many in disbelief given the scale of the tragedy.
Recalling the terrifying moments, he shared witnessing his fellow passengers, including air hostesses, dying before his eyes, and felt as though he too would meet the same fate. “I still can't believe how I survived. I walked out of the rubble,” he said, still processing the traumatic event.
In a show of solidarity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with survivors, including Mr. Ramesh, who sustained multiple injuries but is reportedly stable.
Family support has rallied around Mr. Ramesh, whose brother was also onboard. The British government has reached out to provide consular assistance, with efforts underway to facilitate family members' travel to India to be with him in this time of need. Mr. Ramesh, a businessman who has resided in the UK since 2003, is a father to a four-year-old son and left his family in shock while they await further news from India.
