British survivor recalls horrifying moments of Air India crash (video)
'I thought I was dead': Ramesh was returning to the UK on the fatal flight
The British survivor of the devastating Air India plane crash has recounted the horrifying moments as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner plummeted into a building, killing 241 people onboard.
“I thought I was dead,” Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said from his hospital bed, describing the chilling moment when he realised he had miraculously survived.
The 40 year old British-Indian, who has lived in the UK for 20 years, was returning from a trip to India when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, bound for London, struck a medical college and exploded in a fireball, leaving behind a trail of devastation.
Speaking to DD News, Ramesh said, “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds, it felt like it was stuck in the air. Suddenly, the lights started flickering—green and white. The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude, it was just gliding before it slammed into a building and exploded.”
For a moment, he thought he was dead. “I opened my eyes and realised I was alive. I couldn’t believe it.”
Ramesh managed to escape the wreckage after unbuckling his seatbelt, crawling through an opening in the fuselage. “I saw people dying in front of my eyes—the air hostesses, two people near me. I walked out of the rubble.” In a moment of miraculous survival, Ramesh had no idea how he had made it out.
The crash claimed the lives of 241 people, with at least 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian among the dead. It remains one of the deadliest crashes involving British nationals.
“It’s still a big shock,” Ramesh’s 27 year old brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, said. “We were devastated when we heard the news. I last spoke to him yesterday morning.”
Dr Dhaval Gameti, who treated Ramesh, confirmed that he had multiple injuries but was no longer in danger. “He was disorientated, but he seems to be out of danger now,” he said.
The crash has deeply affected communities, with several victims identified, including Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, a British couple, and Akeel Nanabawa and his family. Aviation experts have speculated that the crash could have been caused by engine failure or improperly set flaps on the aircraft, though investigations are still ongoing, reported The Guardian, UK.
As investigations continue, the Foreign Office has urged any British nationals affected by the crash to reach out for assistance, while insurance companies like LIC and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance have set up dedicated teams to provide swift financial relief to the victims’ families, according to Times of India.
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