Lone survivor of Air India flight 171 crash calls family: “I don’t know how I am alive”

A man who emerged as the sole survivor from the crash of Air India Flight 171 made a video call to his family moments after escaping the wreckage, expressing disbelief at his survival. The crash claimed the lives of all 241 others onboard.

Viswash Kumar Ramesh, 38, was returning to London from Ahmedabad when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff. Among the passengers was his brother Ajay Ramesh, who did not survive.

“I don’t know how I am alive,” Viswash told his younger brother, Nayan Ramesh, 27, during a call from the crash site, according to an NYT report.


The Ramesh family’s home in Leicester, England, turned into a place of mourning and disbelief. Nayan, standing outside the house surrounded by relatives and neighbours, said his brother had called their father using a video call right after the crash.

“He was like, ‘I can’t see my brother. I can’t see any other passengers,’” Nayan said. “He was just in shock.”

In Ahmedabad, Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who treated Viswash, said the survivor was “disoriented, with multiple injuries all over his body, but he seems to be out of danger.”

The hospital has advised Viswash to remain on bed rest. “They have told him to be on bed rest, and they have switched off his phone,” Nayan told NYT.

Nayan said the family was still trying to come to terms with the tragedy and the miraculous survival of one member.

Authorities have begun investigations into the cause of the crash.

The fatal flight
An Air India flight bound for London crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, killing 241 passengers and crew members. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171, crashed into residential quarters of doctors near BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar area, triggering a massive fire and widespread destruction.

Flight AI171 was operating the Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick route. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner had taken off from runway 23 when it lost altitude and crashed into a residential complex near the airport. Three NDRF teams from Gandhinagar and additional teams from Vadodara were dispatched for emergency response. The DGCA and Air India confirmed the incident on social media platforms.

A statement from Air India confirmed that 242 people were onboard, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The airline said 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the deceased, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra confirmed.

Authorities launched immediate rescue operations with the deployment of multiple fire engines, ambulances, and teams from the National Disaster Response Force. Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai told reporters late at night that 265 bodies had been brought to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Officials said this number includes fatalities from the crash site as well as those in the impacted residential buildings.

The crash site, located outside the airport perimeter, was engulfed in black smoke shortly after the incident, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad confirmed that the pilot had issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call shortly after departure at 1:39 pm IST.

In the aftermath, Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced that families of the deceased would receive ₹1 crore each in compensation. “We are focused on supporting all the affected people and their families,” he said.