British national identified as sole survivor of 242 passengers on board Air India flight 171 that crashed in Ahmedabad

The only confirmed survivor of the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad has been identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British citizen of Indian descent. 

Out of the 242 people on board the ill-fated flight, Ramesh is the sole individual to have survived.

Ramesh was seated in seat 11A, located near one of the aircraft’s emergency exits, when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, striking residential buildings near the airport.

According to Indian police and medical personnel, Ramesh may have either jumped or been thrown from the aircraft through the emergency exit moments before it was engulfed in flames. He sustained multiple injuries—including chest trauma, eye damage, and foot injuries—but is currently in stable condition at a local hospital.

“When I woke up, there were bodies all around me,” Ramesh reportedly told medical staff. “I was scared. I stood up and ran.”

Eyewitnesses said he was discovered disoriented near the wreckage and was rescued by local emergency responders. His family in the UK has since been contacted. A cousin told the BBC that Ramesh briefly called home, saying only, “I’m fine.”

Tragically, Ramesh had been traveling with his brother Ajay, who remains missing and is presumed dead. Search and recovery operations continue at the crash site, although hopes of finding additional survivors are dwindling.

Authorities suggest that Ramesh’s location near the emergency exit, along with either quick reflexes or extraordinary luck, was likely crucial to his survival. His account is expected to be vital to the ongoing investigation.

Investigative teams from the UK, US, and India are working together to determine the cause of the crash, which now ranks among the deadliest in Indian aviation history.