“Plane Broke Apart & My Seat Came Off”: Sole Survivor of Ahmedabad Air India Crash Recounts Miraculous Escape
The lone survivor of Air India flight AI171, which crashed soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad, recounted how he was miraculously ejected from the wreckage still strapped to his seat. “The plane broke, and my seat came off,” said British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in emergency exit row 11A, next to the left door.
Recovered with multiple injuries, Ramesh was admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where he explained to doctors that he did not jump but was thrown clear as the aircraft violently disintegrated during its initial climb. Emergency responders found him wound-bound to his seat, away from the inferno that consumed the rest of the plane.
Ramesh’s harrowing account included the moment the cabin broke apart: “Thirty seconds after take-off there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.” Shocked, he described waking amidst debris and bodies before crawling to safety from the mangled wreckage.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London, stalled approximately 30 seconds after departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at around 1:39 pm IST on June 12. It crashed into a medical college hostel in the Meghani Nagar area, triggering a massive fire. The blaze claimed 241 lives onboard and at least 28 ground fatalities, making it the deadliest single-aircraft disaster in India to date.
The aircraft was carrying 242 individuals—169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and two pilots with 10 cabin crew. One passenger seat away, former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, was also onboard and perished along with hundreds of others.
The jet reached roughly 600–800 feet before descending rapidly into the hostel block of BJ Medical College, embedding fuselage, landing gear, and tail sections into the building and igniting a fierce blaze. Rescue teams later reported temperatures soared to nearly 1,000 °C, driven by over 125,000 litres of jet fuel.
Authorities have recovered at least one black box and launched a comprehensive probe led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, supported by Boeing, GE Aerospace, and the UK’s AAIB. DNA testing continues to confirm identities of victims.
Ramesh’s story is extraordinary. Globally, it marks the most lethal crash with a sole survivor. He conveyed a poignant plea: “I have no idea how I escaped … Where’s my brother?” His elder brother, Ajay, also on the flight, remains missing and is feared dead.
The disaster has spurred nationwide mourning and an outpouring of condolences from world leaders. Investigators hope Ramesh’s testimony will provide vital clues in unraveling the causes behind this devastating aviation tragedy.
