In a devastating air disaster that has claimed at least 260 lives, a flicker of hope emerged when a single passenger was found alive following the crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, crashing into a nearby medical staff hostel and causing additional fatalities on the ground. Emergency responders and sniffer dogs have been working through the wreckage, searching for evidence and victims.
Initially, authorities believed that there were no survivors among the 242 people on board. But hours later, Gujarat state health department’s principal secretary, Dhananjay Dwivedi, confirmed that one man had indeed made it out alive and was receiving treatment at a local hospital.
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, who represents Ahmedabad in parliament, visited both the crash site and the hospital. Visibly shaken, he offered condolences and also shared the rare good news: “I’ve met the survivor myself,” he said.
Indian media outlets identified the survivor as 40-year-old British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, reportedly seated in 11A during the flight. Social media footage captured a man bloodied, limping, but conscious — walking toward an ambulance. Though AFP has not independently verified the details, the BBC reported contact with Ramesh’s cousin in Leicester, who said Ramesh had phoned the family and assured them he was “fine.” His brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, added: “He told us he doesn’t even know how he got out.”
Despite the miraculous survival, the majority of reports have focused on the immense loss. Many victims were elderly parents visiting family in the UK or loved ones returning home. The plane’s full fuel tank, prepared for the long-haul flight, contributed to the massive fireball seen in viral crash videos.
To aid grieving families, Air India has arranged special relief flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad, allowing next of kin to travel and assist with the identification of bodies, many of which were severely burned.
DNA testing facilities have been established at BJ Medical College, with officials urging families of victims to come forward and submit samples to help speed up identification.
As rescue efforts continue and investigations begin, the tragedy stands as one of the deadliest aviation incidents in India’s recent history tempered only by the astonishing survival of one man.
