A British man, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, has miraculously survived the deadliest the Air India crash that killed 241 people shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, western India, on Thursday.
Ramesh, who was seated in 11A on the London-bound Boeing 787, is the sole survivor of the devastating crash, BBC reports.
According to Air India, all other passengers and crew members, including 169 Indian nationals and 52 Britons, perished in the accident.
Air India Crash: Canadians, Portuguese, British Nationals Among Victims
Speaking to the reporters, Ramesh’s brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, said, “He has no idea how he survived. He was just more worried about my other brother, Ajay, who was also on board. That’s all he cared about when he called us.”
The crash occurred less than a minute after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, with the aircraft slamming into a residential complex used by trainee doctors.
The death toll may yet rise as authorities assess casualties on the ground. The cause of the crash remained under investigation.
Video footage circulating on social media has shown Ramesh visibly injured and covered in blood, walking toward an ambulance with thick smoke billowing behind him.
He was later seen receiving medical attention at a local hospital, where he met with Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who treated him, said, “He was disoriented and had multiple injuries across his body, but he appears to be out of danger.”
The BBC reports that Ramesh, a businessman originally from India, has lived in the UK since 2003. He is married and has a four-year-old son.
Family members and friends expressed both relief and heartbreak in the aftermath.
A relative, identified as Jay, told the PA news agency, “He’s got injuries on his face and was painted in blood. It’s a big shock, but he seems to be doing well.”
Indian media confirmed Mr. Ramesh’s identity using a boarding pass showing his name and seat number.
Also believed to be on board were Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, co-founders of a spiritual wellness centre in London.
The couple had shared a light-hearted Instagram video just before take-off, joking about their “10-hour flight back to England.” Their company, The Wellness Foundry, has been approached for comment.
From West London, Javed and Mariam Syed were travelling with their two young children.
Ammaarah Taju, the granddaughter of Blackburn couple Adam and Hasina Taju, who was also among the victims, said the family was in “shock and disbelief.” The elderly couple were travelling with their 51-year-old son-in-law, Altafhusen Patel, who resided in London.
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