In a tragic development following the crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, authorities have confirmed that a single individual survived the accident. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was en route to London when it went down shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of most on board.
On Thursday, a senior Indian police official informed the national news agency ANI that one male passenger seated in 11A managed to survive the crash. Indian media later identified the survivor as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national whose name and seat number matched the flight manifest released by officials.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, who had initially stated that there were no known survivors, later revised his report, telling ANI, “The police found one survivor in seat 11A.” He added, “He is in the hospital and is under treatment.”
Dhananjay Dwivedi, Principal Secretary of the Gujarat State Health Department, confirmed to AFP: “Yes, one survivor is confirmed,” though he did not name the individual.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti of Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital told The Associated Press that he examined the survivor, stating: “He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body… he seems to be out of danger.”
According to Dr. Gameti, the hospital received the remains of 186 individuals recovered from the crash site.
Media interviews conducted at the hospital revealed that Ramesh held a valid boarding pass for seat 11A. Speaking with The Hindustan Times, he described the harrowing experience: “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.” The report said he sustained “impact injuries” to his chest, face, and feet.
Eyewitness footage circulating online shows the aircraft flying unusually low over buildings before vanishing from view. Moments later, a massive explosion erupts, engulfing the area in flames and smoke.
The incident marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent Indian history, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
