The lone survivor of the deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad, Ramesh Vishwas Kumar Bucharvada, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, has shared his traumatic experience from the crash site first time since the crash happened.
The Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had just taken off from Ahmedabad and was bound for London with 242 people on board, 230 passengers and 12 crew, and tragically, 241 lost their lives, and Ramesh is the only one who lived from the crash.
Ramesh Vishwas Kumar: The Lone Survivor of Air India Crash
Seated in 11A, Ramesh recalled, “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.” He described the chaos in the aftermath: “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”
Ramesh, injured in his chest, foot, and eyes, had come to Gujarat to visit family with his older brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who is now presumed dead. A viral video captures Ramesh, bloodied and in torn clothes, walking toward rescuers before they place him into an ambulance.
What Caused the Crash?
The crash took place just 33 seconds after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The pilot had issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call, signaling an emergency, but according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there was no further communication from the aircraft.
Air India stated that among the 230 passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The aircraft went down in a densely populated residential area. It struck an intern hostel at BJ Medical College, leading to massive destruction.
A formal investigation is now underway. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has confirmed the creation of a high-level committee to assess the crash and strengthen safety protocols. Also, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending a team to India to assist in the probe.