A British survivor of the Air India crash described the horror of witnessing deaths and his miraculous escape from the wreckage.

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The recent Air India plane crash has left the world in shock, particularly after a British survivor recounted the harrowing experience of witnessing tragedy unfold. On June 13, 2025, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, described the moment the Boeing 787 Dreamliner collided with a building, resulting in the deaths of 241 people onboard.

6 Key Takeaways British survivor describes horror of crash.

Plane crashed into medical college building.

Ramesh escaped wreckage with multiple injuries.

Investigations ongoing into crash causes.

Indian Prime Minister visited crash site.

Several victims identified, including families.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh shared his disbelief at surviving the catastrophic event, saying, “I thought I was dead.” His chilling account highlights the urgent need for improved aviation safety measures, raising questions about the crash’s cause.

Fast Answer: A British survivor of the Air India crash recounted the horror of the incident, prompting a global discussion on aviation safety and emergency response protocols.

This devastating incident not only claims lives but also raises critical questions about aviation safety. How can we prevent such tragedies in the future? The following points are crucial for consideration:

Investigate potential mechanical failures leading to the crash.

Enhance pilot training for emergency situations.

Review air traffic control protocols during takeoff.

Increase public awareness of aviation safety measures.

The crash underscores the ongoing risks associated with air travel, reminding US of the importance of stringent safety regulations worldwide.

As investigations continue, it is vital for authorities to address these concerns and implement necessary changes to prevent future tragedies. The global community must unite in advocating for safer skies.

‘I was meant to be on fatal Air India flight. Heavy traffic saved my life’

Bhoomi Chauhan said she felt ‘numb’ after hearing about the crash, which claimed the lives of hundreds of people

The debris from the Air India plane that crashed in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state (Image: CISF via AP )

A woman who was supposed to be on board the Air India plane which crashed shortly after take-off said she felt “totally numb” when she heard about the tragedy.

Bhoomi Chauhan, who lives in the UK with her husband, had been on holiday in India and was due to travel back to the UK on the doomed AI171 flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick. But while on her way to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for her flight, Bhoomi, got stuck in traffic, NDTV reported.

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In an interview to the news agency ANI, she said: “Yesterday, I was actually going back to London and the time for my flight was 1.10pm (local time). By the time we reached, it was already 12.20pm and at 12.10pm Air India stopped the check-in process.” For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

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Bhoomi pleaded with Air India officials to be allowed to board the flight, but was denied as it would cause further delay.

She said: “When I reached the check-in gate, I requested them saying that I’ve only been 10 minutes late, so let me go, I’ll quickly clear whatever the immigration process and other processes will be.

“The officials and their senior staff who had come, I requested to all of them but the three of them sent me back saying that because of you being late by 10 minutes, we can be delayed a further 15 minutes, so I had to return.”

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Bhoomi was in her car on her way back when she heard of the crash.

“The reason I was late is because of Ahmedabad traffic… we had entered the city area due to which we got late,” Bhoomi said. “When we got to know [of the crash], we had almost left for home from the airport, we were in our car and that’s when we saw the news that there’s been a plane crash, and at that time, I was feeling totally numb.

“And one side I thanked my god, goddess, that I was saved but on the other side, it was also there that this incident that happened is very terrifying.”

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Air India has confirmed that there were 242 people aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner which included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national, with the sole survivor being a British national of Indian origin.

The only survivor was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who recounted the horror of waking up in the crashed plane and seeing people “dying in front of my eyes”.

The Tata Group, which is the parent company of the Air India airline, has said that it will give 10 million Indian rupees [roughly £86,000] to each family whose loved ones lost their lives in the crash.

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Downing street has confirmed that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is providing consular support to Mr Ramesh.

The FCDO has said that any British National who is in need of consular help, or anyone who is worried about family members or friends, can ring 020 7008 5000.

Air India footage shows ‘mystery object flying off plane’ seconds before crash

Footage of the Air India plane crash shows a dark object seemingly getting detached from the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and flying into the air before the plane explodes into flames

A video that emerged after Thursday’s tragic plane crash in India appears to show an object flying from the aircraft just moments before it went down, killing 241 people on board.

Footage filmed in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, shows a dark object seemingly becoming detached from the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner before the plane crashes and explodes into flames. While it’s not clear exactly what the object was, there has been speculation that it could be one of the plane’s emergency doors – possibly the one next to which the only survivor of the crash, British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, was sitting.

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The cause of the crash hasn’t been established yet and investigators are analysing the footage while looking for the debris at the site where the plane came down. The investigation is also understood to be focusing on the engine, flaps and landing gear.

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An object appeared to be flying before the plane exploded into flames (Image: X )

The plane’s digital flight data recorder, or black box, was recovered from a rooftop near the crash site and India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said it had begun its work with “full force”. The black box recovery marks an important step forward in the investigation, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a social media post.

The device will reveal information about the engine and control settings, in addition to what the voice recorder will show about the cockpit conversations, Paul Fromme, a mechanical engineer with the UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers said in a statement. “This should show quickly if there was a loss of engine power or lift after take-off and allow a preliminary determination of the likely cause for the crash,” said Fromme, who heads the professional association’s Aerospace Division.

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The back of the aircraft after the crash (Image: CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORC )

Separately, the country’s civil aviation regulator ordered Air India to conduct additional inspections of its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with General Electric’s GEnx engines. That includes checks of the fuel parameters, cabin air compressor, engine control system, hydraulic system and take-off parameters, the order said.

Investigators on Friday continued searching the site of the crash – one of India’s worst aviation disasters – and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the lone surviving passenger in hospital. Sharing details of his experience before the crash, Vishwash, who was in seat 11A, explained the lights on the plane “started flickering” just seconds after the plane took off – and shortly after, it crashed.

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The British national told the Hindustan Times: “When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren’t able to.” He added: “I don’t know how I survived. I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me … I walked out of the rubble.”

After Vishwash was confirmed to be the only survivor, his family also said he had “no idea” how he escaped alive. While they were glad that he did, they were left heartbroken as his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight, didn’t survive.

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Vishwash Kumar Ramesh with Narendra Modi (Image: NARENDRA MODI YOUTUBE CHANNEL/AF )

Another brother of the pair, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, 27, spoke from outside the family home in Leicester and said: “We were just shocked as soon as we heard it. I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We’re devastated, just devastated. He said I have no idea how I exited the plane.”

A relative called Jay added that Vishwash spoke to his dad following the crash. He said: “He’s got some injuries on his face. He was painted in blood. He was pretty much covered in blood, that’s what his dad said.” He added: “He’s doing well I think. It’s a big shock. I don’t have many words to describe the incident.”

The British survivor of the Air India plane crash has described the horror of watching people “dying in front of my eyes”.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said he thought he was dead when the plane crashed into a building, before realising he was alive and escaping the wreckage.

Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old told DD News the plane felt like it was “stuck in the air” shortly after takeoff before lights began flickering green and white, adding: “It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”

0:31 Footage appears to shows British survivor of Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad – video

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college as it crashed in a fireball on Thursday, killing the other 241 people onboard. It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787.

Ramesh said: “I can’t believe how I came out of it alive. For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too but when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived.”

Ramesh told the broadcaster: “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 and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded. At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage.

“I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out. I don’t know how I survived,” he said. “I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me … I walked out of the rubble.”

Ramesh was returning to the UK, where he has lived for 20 years, after visiting family in India. One of his brothers, speaking outside the family home in Leicester, said Ramesh had “no idea” how he escaped.

Nayan Kumar Ramesh, 27, added: “We were just shocked as soon as we heard it. I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We’re devastated, just devastated. He said: ‘I have no idea how I exited the plane.’”

A relative added: “He’s doing well I think. It’s a big shock. I don’t have many words to describe the incident.”

Dr Dhaval Gameti, who treated Ramesh, said: “He was disorientated, with multiple injuries all over his body. But he seems to be out of danger.”

The crash site was visited by the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Ramesh in hospital.

At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured. There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise. Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.

A British couple, Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who ran a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead, while the Gloucester Muslim Community group offered “sincere and deepest condolences” after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa, and their four-year-old daughter, Sara, were reported to be among the victims.

Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, called for people to come together as he announced the deaths of “Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri” in his constituency.

Aviation experts have speculated about the possible causes of the crash, from both engines failing – possibly due to a bird strike, as happened in the “Miracle on the Hudson” in 2009 – to the flaps on the aircraft’s wings not being set to the correct position for takeoff.

The Air India chief executive, Campbell Wilson, visited the area, according to the BBC, but did not take questions from the media.

The Foreign Office said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who had concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.

Air India crash survivor describes harrowing moment he woke up in wreckage as victims died around him

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said he initially thought he too was dead, before realising he had survived the crash

Indian Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah meeting the British plane crash survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh at a hospital in Ahmedabad

The sole British survivor of the catastrophic Air India crash has recounted the chilling moment he saw people “dying in front of my eyes”. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, speaking from his hospital bed to DD News, said he “still can’t believe how I survived”.

Detailing the events leading up to the tragedy, the 40 year old shared that after take-off, the aircraft felt as though it was “stuck in the air” and then there was flickering of green and white lights before: “It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”

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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college on Thursday, before bursting into flames and claiming the lives of all other 241 passengers, marking it as one of the worst aviation disasters affecting British citizens and the first for the 787 model.

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In a statement posted on X, India’s civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced the recovery of the flight’s black box within 28 hours of the accident. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

People look at parts of the Air India plane in Ahmedabad (Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Reflecting on his miraculous survival during his interview with DD News, Mr Ramesh stated: “I can’t believe how I came out of it alive.”

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He described the moments of terror saying: “For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too.

“But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived.”

Mr Ramesh, who found himself relatively unharmed in seat 11A next to the plane’s emergency exit, recalled the harrowing prelude to the impact. He said: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.

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“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white.

“The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”

He continued: “At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage.

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“I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out. I don’t know how I survived.

“I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me…I walked out of the rubble.”

Mr Ramesh clarified to the DD News that he woke up inside the plane, and had not jumped out of it.

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The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is offering consular support to Mr Ramesh, as confirmed by Downing Street.

Narendra Modi visited the crash site to take stock of the situation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a visit to the crash site in India on Friday, with footage circulating showing him engaging with Mr Ramesh at the hospital.

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There are growing concerns that the fatalities among those on the ground may increase. Efforts to determine what caused the tragic crash persist.

Among the casualties were at least five medical students, with around 50 people injured.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the dedicated FCDO helpline received nearly 300′ enquiries by Friday morning following the tragedy.

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Tributes have been pouring in for those who lost their lives in the disaster, including for Dr Prateek Joshi, who was described as a “wonderful man” who shared with his colleagues about his “his newly-discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District”.

Britons Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who operate a spiritual wellness centre, are believed to be among those who tragically lost their lives in the accident.

Earlier this year, Mr Greenlaw-Meek appeared on ITV’s This Morning, earning acclaim from former show editor Martin Frizell for his “vibrancy” and “enthusiasm”.

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Tributes have also been paid to Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa, and their four-year-old daughter Sara, all feared to have died in the crash.

Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara, from Gloucester, tragically lost their lives in the crash (Image: PA Media )

Speaking on behalf of the stricken family, Imam Abdullah Samad stated: “We are heartbroken as we await further information regarding our beloved family members who were on board the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick.

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“The news of this tragic incident has left us devastated, and we are still coming to terms with the enormity of what has happened.”

In a call for unity amid tragedy, Raj Mishra, mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, relayed the sad news that residents “Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri” from his community were among those who died.

Aircraft specialists are currently delving into the potential causes of the disaster, mulling over scenarios from a double engine failure potentially triggered by bird strike – similar to the renowned ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ of 2009 – to incorrect settings of the aircraft’s wing flaps for ascent.

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Photos captured post-accident depict fragments of the aeroplane lodged into the structure of BJ Medical College. Air India’s chief executive, Campbell Wilson, visited the crash site but refrained from answering any media queries, as reported by the BBC.

Debris from the plane that crashed yesterday (Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

An Air India flight that was due to take off from Gatwick to Ahmedabad on Friday at 8.30pm has been cancelled.

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Tata Group, Air India’s parent company, pledged to provide 10 million Indian rupees (approximately £86,000) to each family of those who tragically lost their lives in the crash.

The firm also committed to covering the medical expenses of those injured and providing support for the development of the medical college.

In response to the AI171 crash, Air India has established assistance centres for friends and relatives at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad airports.

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UK officials are being dispatched to India to aid the investigation, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board were en-route to India, with backing from Boeing and GE Aerospace.

He informed reporters that it was “way too premature” to ground Boeing 787s following the crash.

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The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advised any British nationals in need of consular assistance, or those worried about family or friends, to ring 020 7008 5000.