“I Ran Through Fire and Bodies”: The Sole Survivor of Ahmedabad Air India Crash Speaks Out

Amid the smoldering wreckage of Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, one man miraculously survived a catastrophe that claimed 241 lives. Ramesh Vishwaskumar, a British citizen seated in 11A, emerged from the debris—bloodied, bruised, but alive.

“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise,” Ramesh told stunned reporters. “There were dead bodies around me. I got scared. I got up and ran. There were pieces of the plane everywhere.”

In a video now going viral on social media, Ramesh is seen limping away from the fiery crash site—his clothes torn, his body streaked with blood, and his face etched with the horror of survival. The 44-year-old, originally from India, has been living in London for two decades with his wife and child. What was meant to be a brief reunion trip turned into a nightmare.

But Ramesh’s ordeal didn’t end with survival. His brother, Ajay Vishwaskumar, who was also on the flight, remains missing. Two friends rushed from Diu to Ahmedabad, hoping for a miracle. “We don’t know anything yet,” said a family neighbour. “It’s complete chaos. They are just trying to locate him.”

Ramesh was immediately taken to a hospital by ambulance. Doctors have confirmed that while his physical injuries are not life-threatening, the emotional trauma is significant. “Someone pulled me into an ambulance. I didn’t even realise I was injured until later,” he said.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, who had earlier warned that survival from such a crash was unlikely, confirmed Ramesh’s rescue. “A passenger from seat 11A has survived. He is currently under medical care. The final death toll is not confirmed as the plane crashed into a residential area, and casualties on the ground are still being assessed,” he said.

Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew, was en route to London Gatwick when it crashed just minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, fully fueled for its long-haul journey, tragically struck a doctors’ hostel belonging to a nearby medical college, killing several residents and igniting a massive fireball.

Over 50 people are receiving treatment in hospitals as emergency responders continue to comb through the wreckage. Thick plumes of smoke could be seen for miles, while ambulances and fire trucks lined the narrow lanes near the crash site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the accident as “heartbreaking beyond words” and confirmed that he is closely monitoring rescue and relief efforts. “My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” he said, promising full government support for the victims’ families and ordering a thorough investigation into the crash.

As India grapples with one of its deadliest aviation disasters in recent history, the story of Ramesh Vishwaskumar stands as a rare glimmer of hope—one life spared amid immense loss.