While desperate relatives scoured Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital in Asarwa after the deadly Air India crash, one of the survivors, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, rested in the general ward remembering his harrowing ordeal.

“Thirty seconds into flight, there was a big sound and then the plane crashed. It all happened really fast,” Vishwash said to Hindustan Times, recounting the terrifying moment when the plane crashed. He received ‘impact injuries’ to his chest, eyes, and feet from the accident.

Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was en route to Gatwick, carried 242 individuals including staff when it took off at 1:39 pm on Thursday. Within minutes of takeoff, the plane crashed and caught fire. The passengers consisted of 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, according to Air India.

Vishwash is a British citizen who had been in India seeing family and was flying back to the UK with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh (45). He was still holding his boarding pass when he spoke from his hospital bed. “When I woke up, there were bodies everywhere. I was frightened. I got up and ran. There were fragments of the plane everywhere. Someone took hold of me and placed me in an ambulance and took me to the hospital,” he stated.

A two-decade resident of London, Vishwash claimed his wife and child also reside in the UK. He further mentioned Ajay, who occupied another row of seats in the plane, is also missing. “We went to Diu. He was with me and I lost him again. Help me trace him,” he begged.

At the same hospital, scenes of pandemonium and heartbreak were witnessed as desperate families scoured for survivors. Among the people were relatives of ex-Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was said to have been on the ill-fated flight.

Sailesh Mandliya, an ex-adjutant of Rupani, stated from the hospital, “We are searching for him. If you get to know something, inform me,” he said to Hindustan Times.

The tragedy has left a dark shadow over a number of countries, with families waiting anxiously as rescue efforts go on.