In the aftermath of the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171, which claimed 241 lives, the lone survivor has come forward to recount the terrifying moments that led to his escape. Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a 45-year-old passenger seated in seat 11A, shared his story from a hospital bed, where he is currently receiving treatment for burns on his left hand.
The ill-fated flight, a 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm IST on Thursday. Mere minutes after departure, the aircraft issued a MAYDAY call and then lost contact with Air Traffic Control. Moments later, it crashed into a medical college hostel near the airport, killing nearly everyone on board—including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.
According to Ramesh, he was seated on the left side of the aircraft, in a window seat adjacent to the emergency exit. “My side did not hit the building. There was some space on the ground. When the door broke open, I saw an opening and escaped through it. I just ran. I still can’t believe I survived,” he told DD News. The aircraft landed on the ground floor of the hostel building, which, he believes, allowed him to find an exit and flee the burning wreckage.
Seat 11A, where Ramesh was seated, is one of the six seats in the first row of economy class, located near the galley and the emergency exit. His proximity to this exit and the fact that his side of the plane did not suffer a direct impact are seen as critical factors in his survival.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is currently investigating the incident, while grieving families across the country await answers. Ramesh’s account is not only a chilling glimpse into the crash but also a rare story of survival amid one of India’s worst aviation disasters.