Air India Crash: One Survivor Confirmed

On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, headed from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff into the Meghani Nagar residential area, striking a medical college dormitory.

The plane had 242 people on board: 169 Indian, 53 British, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese nationals. Initially, authorities feared no one survived, but police later confirmed one survivor—Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian seated in row 11A.

Ramesh, now hospitalized, recalled hearing a loud noise moments after takeoff. “There were bodies all around me. I stood up and ran,” he told the Hindustan Times. His brother, also on board, was seated elsewhere.

Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed deep sorrow and pledged full support for victims’ families. Tata Group, which owns Air India, confirmed it will cover medical expenses and offer compensation. An emergency center has been activated to assist those affected.