Identified as Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the British citizen was en route to London after visiting Gujarat.
Survivor of Air India crash in emotional meeting with PM Modi (photo: IANS
In what can only be described as a miracle, a British national is the sole survivor of the tragic Air India AI 171 crash that took place in Ahmedabad.
Identified as Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the British citizen was en route to London after visiting Gujarat.
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Recounting the horrific tragedy, he said, “Everything happened in front of my eyes. I can’t believe I’m alive.”
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“For a moment, I was certain I was going to die. It was supposed to be a routine flight for the AI-171, bound for London. But within moments of takeoff, chaos erupted,” he told the media persons.
As per his description, the aircraft wavered in the air for a few seconds. Then, flashing green and white lights flickered across the cabin. Seconds later, the plane veered off and slammed into the hostel building below. “The impact was deafening,” he said.
“I felt it race uncontrollably and then crash into the building. Flames engulfed the cabin. I saw the air hostess and other passengers burn right in front of me,” he added.
In his account to DD News, he said, “The plane broke, and my seat came off. That is how I was saved.” His positioning shielded him from the fire that engulfed the aircraft.
He added, “The place where I landed was low. I took off the seat belt, and for a moment, I was scared for my life. But I was near ground level, so I tried to get out.”
Seeing that the doors of the aircraft were broken, Ramesh said he was able to walk out on foot, even as he saw passengers and crew dying around him.
“I can’t believe how I survived,” Ramesh said. “I thought I would die. People died in front of my eyes.”
He was seated on 11A, next to a left-side window in the economy section of the ill-fated aircraft, near an emergency exit, when the crash occurred.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and met with Vishwas.
“The Prime Minister asked about my well-being and how it all unfolded. I told him that I am okay,” Vishwas said.
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