‘Bodies all around me’: British passenger survives Air India crash
The sole survivor, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh - seated in a bulkhead emergency exit seat by the door - has described the moment the Boeing 787-8 en route to London went down in Ahmedabad.
A British man has survived after an Air India Boeing 787-8 carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in India en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, police said.
At least 294 perished when flight AI171 crashed into a facility filled with medical students eating lunch and exploded into a fireball a short distance from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
GS Malik, Ahmedabad’s police commissioner, said that a passenger with a British passport in seat 11A was in hospital and under treatment.
Seat 11A is a bulkhead emergency exit seat by the door, according to seatguru.com.
Indian newspaper Hindustan Times spoke to the survivor, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was being treated at a local hospital after receiving “impact injuries” on his chest, eyes and feet.
“Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” he told HT.
“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.”
Mr Ramesh’s brother, Ajay, was seated in a different row.
Flight radar showed flight AI171 reaching an altitude of just 625 feet (190m) at which time the pilots issued a mayday call signalling an emergency, before crashing.
Of those on board, 230 were passengers and 12 crew, including two pilots.
Earlier, Mr Malik had said: “It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash”.
Among the passengers on the flight was Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat who led the state from 2016 to 2021, according to officials from his party.
‘Deep sorrow’
It’s a massive blow for the airline which turned its X profile to black hours after the crash.
Air India has been in the process of rebuilding with owners the Tata Group in an effort to compete with other carriers in the region including Singapore Airlines and Emirates.
In a statement, Air India said there were 53 British nationals on board, along with 169 Indian nationals, one person from Canada and seven from Portugal.
The airline’s chief executive, Campbell Wilson, expressed “deep sorrow about this event” in a video message posted on X.
“The investigations will take time. But anything we can do now, we are doing.”
Burnt bodies
A medic described how the burning plane had smashed into a residential block that is home to medical students and young doctors.
“One half of the plane crashed into the residential building where doctors lived with their families,” said Krishna, a doctor who gave only one name, adding he saw “about 15-20 burnt bodies” in the wreckage and debris.
It was not clear whether the dead he had seen had been killed on board the plane, or had been in the building the aircraft ploughed into.
“The nose and front wheel landed on the canteen building where students were having lunch,” he said, adding he and colleagues had “rescued some 15 students from the building and sent them to hospital”.
Plane visited Melbourne last week
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said “the Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Consulate-General in Mumbai are urgently following up with the local authorities to determine whether there were any Australians on board.
“The Australian Government expresses its condolences to those affected by the Air India crash in Ahmedabad,” said a DFAT spokesman.
“Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the 24 hour consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).”
The 11-year-old aircraft involved registered VT-ANB was used on various Air India routes including Melbourne-Delhi, and last visited Tullamarine on Sunday (June 8).
It’s believed to be the first major crash involving a 787-8 which is used by the Qantas-owned Jetstar on international routes.
Globally almost 400 787-8s are in service as one of the three variants of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner series.
Boeing was gathering information on the crash and said it was ready to support Air India.
“Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected,” said a statement from the company.
Stocks in the US manufacturer plunged about 5 per cent on the back of reports of the disaster.
It would appear to be a devastating blow for Boeing, already under intense scrutiny from regulators after the two fatal 737 Max 8 crashes, and midair plug door blowout on an Alaska Air 737 Max 9.
Message from Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India. pic.twitter.com/19MiwtkwAI
— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “the tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us”.
“It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it,” said Prime Minister Modi in a statement posted to X.
“Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the scenes from the crash were “devastating”, while King Charles said he was “desperately shocked”.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Air India, wrote that a support team at the airline had been set up for families seeking information.
Released by Tata Group, which owns a majority stake in the airline, the statement reads: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.
“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.”
India’s aviation minister has said rescue teams have been mobilised to help the 242 people on board flight AI171 that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.
Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said that he was “shocked and devastated” by the news and the government was on the “highest alert”.
“I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and co-ordinated action,” he wrote.
“Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
Additional reporting:
The Times, AP, AFP
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