A British-Indian man survived after Air India Flight 171 crashed into a hostel in Ahmedabad, leaving him trapped among bodies and debris before he escaped through a fuselage breach.
At a Glance
- The London-bound Air India Flight 171 crashed 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, killing 241 of the 242 people on board.
- Only one passenger, 40-year-old British-Indian Vishwash Kumar Ramesh in seat 11A, survived with minor injuries.
- Ramesh recounted that the aircraft “felt stuck in the air for 5–10 seconds,” lights flickered, then it hit a hostel building and exploded.
- He managed to unbuckle, exploit a gap in the side fuselage near the emergency exit, and crawl out amidst wreckage.
- The crash is India’s deadliest in a decade, the first fatal accident of a Boeing 787, and also claimed at least 28 lives on the ground.
Horror in Mid-Air and Escape
Ramesh described how the plane stalled mid-air, then struck the BJ Medical College hostel just beyond the runway, followed by a massive explosion.
He lost consciousness, regained it amid bodies, and spotted a jagged opening just beside his window—the emergency exit—through which he unbuckled and forced himself out despite injuries.
He is currently recovering under police protection at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and undergoing trauma counseling.
Watch a report: Ahmedabad Air India Crash: Seat 11A Passenger Survives, Recounts Horror.
Investigation and Safety Implications
Debris from both flight recorders has been recovered, and investigators from India’s AAIB, UK AAIB, NTSB, Boeing, GE Aerospace, and the FAA are exploring causes including engine or flap failure, as reported by Reuters on the initial probe.
In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered inspections of all Dreamliner aircraft operated by Air India starting June 15.
According to an analysis by The Times of London, this marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since its commercial introduction in 2009.
Global Fallout and Human Cost
The death toll included former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, multiple medical students, and international travelers from the UK, Portugal, and Canada, along with dozens residing in the impacted hostel.
Air India, owned by Tata Group, announced that it would provide ₹1 crore in compensation per victim along with long-term medical support for survivors.
Amid renewed scrutiny, Boeing’s stock fell nearly 9%, underscoring investor unease over structural risks in the Dreamliner fleet.
World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and King Charles III, offered condolences and support resources have been mobilized across three continents.
Ramesh’s survival from seat 11A raises pivotal questions: did proximity to the emergency exit offer the only lifeline? The first 30-day investigation report, mandated under ICAO protocols, may reveal structural or procedural failings that redefine safety benchmarks for the Dreamliner class.
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Author: Editor
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