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International Desk, June 12, 2025 – In a tragic incident, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon. The crash has claimed at least 204 lives, with authorities recovering bodies from the wreckage, including both passengers and residents of the Meghani Nagar neighborhood where the plane came down. Amid the devastation, one passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, miraculously survived.Ramesh, who was seated in 11A, described the harrowing moments following the crash in an interview with Hindustan Times from his hospital bed. “It all happened so quickly. When I stood up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I got up and ran. There were pieces of the plane everywhere,” he recounted. Despite sustaining impact injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, Ramesh was able to walk away from the wreckage, as seen in viral footage showing him limping in a white T-shirt and dark pants, with no visible burn marks.
The flight, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, crashed minutes after departing at 1:38 p.m. local time. According to FlightRadar24, the aircraft reached an altitude of 625 feet before rapidly descending. The pilot issued a “Mayday” call before communication was lost, followed by a massive explosion as the plane hit a building, igniting a fire fueled by its heavy load for the long-haul flight.
Ramesh, a London resident who had been visiting family in Diu with his brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, expressed anguish over his missing sibling, who was seated in a different row. “I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he pleaded. Authorities have yet to confirm the status of Ajay or other victims.
The crash site, near a doctors’ hostel at BJ Medical College, has left at least 50 medical students injured, with five reported fatalities on the ground. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the passengers killed, according to India’s Civil Aviation Minister.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words,” while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the scenes as “devastating.” Air India’s parent company, Tata Group, has announced ₹1 crore (approximately
£86,000) in compensation for the families of each victim and will cover medical expenses for the injured. Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, stated it is in contact with Air India and stands ready to support the investigation, which is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Ahmedabad airport has suspended operations, and relief flights from Delhi and Mumbai have been organized for victims’ families. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with experts suggesting possible issues with the plane’s wing flaps or a sudden loss of power.
AI/MR
