Family Shares What British Survivor Said After Fatal Air India Crash

Moments after surviving India's June 12 plane crash, the man called his family from the wreckage. His brother and cousin later shared what he said.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 38, is the only passenger known to survive the crash of Air India Flight 171. A British national, he was returning to London from Ahmedabad with his brother Ajay Ramesh when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down shortly after takeoff, killing all 241 others on board, including Ajay.

Moments after emerging from the wreckage, Vishwash contacted his family in Britain, according to The New York Times. His younger brother, Nayan Ramesh, 27, told the paper that Vishwash made a video call to their father from beside the wreckage.

Nayan also shared what Vishwash said, "Our plane crashed. I have no idea how I got outside."

Nayan also recalled that his brother couldn't find Ajay or any other passengers and was in complete shock. "I don't know how I am alive," he quoted Vishwash as saying.

At the Ramesh family home in Leicester, England, grief was evident. Mourners stood silently outside while relatives consoled one another indoors.

In India, Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who examined Vishwash, reportedly said he was disoriented and had multiple injuries but was no longer in immediate danger.

According to Nayan, the family later spoke with Vishwash at the hospital, where staff told him to be on bed rest and temporarily switched off his phone to support his recovery.

Further details emerged through CNN, including accounts from additional family members and hospital officials. Vishwash's cousin, Ajay Valgi, told reporters in Leicester that Vishwash had confirmed he was "fine," but the family was devastated by the death of his brother and the others who were lost.

Dr. Rajnish Patel, head of surgery at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, told CNN that Vishwash was in stable condition. "He has some blood in the images, but he's not very badly injured. He is very comfortable and under strict observation, no issues," Patel said, adding that he could be discharged within days.

Further reports suggested Vishwash was seated in 11A, an emergency exit row near the plane's left wing. Looking into this matter, CNN safety analyst and former U.S. Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector David Soucie said he was surprised anyone survived in that section of the plane.

He noted that the seat was situated directly above the wing spar, a heavily reinforced area likely to absorb the force of impact during a crash, making survival above it highly unlikely.

Reflecting the broader reaction, Shivani Raja, member of parliament for Leicester East, described Vishwash's survival as "nothing short of a miracle." She said she had reached out to the family while choosing to respect their privacy.

As previously reported, video footage had shown a man leaving the crash site on foot, later confirmed to be Vishwash. He had occupied seat 11A on the plane and survived the collision.

At 1:39 p.m., flight AI171 departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, carrying 230 passengers along with 12 crew members.

On their X account, Air India reported that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was transporting 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven from Portugal, and one Canadian citizen. The aircraft crashed within minutes of takeoff and burst into flames.

At the Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Vishwash, who has lived in London for 20 years and has a wife and child there, described what happened in the moments after the aircraft lifted off.

"Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly," he told Hindustan Times. The outlet also posted Vishwash's plane ticket on their website.

He had been in India for a short visit and was returning to the United Kingdom with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay. The two were seated in different rows on the flight. Vishwash said, "We visited Diu. He was travelling with me and I can't find him anymore. Please help me find him."

At the hospital, several other families were also searching for missing relatives. One of those was Sailesh Mandliya, a former aide to Gujarat's ex-Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The politician's whereabouts remained uncertain as of this writing, and Mandliya asked to be informed if any information surfaced.

Meanwhile, Vishwash reportedly sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. After regaining consciousness, he said he stood up, afraid after seeing the surrounding disaster, and ran through debris until someone helped him into an ambulance.

A video shared by India Today NE allegedly shows Vishwash walking away from the wreckage toward an ambulance.

He was slightly limping and talking to the people around him as someone guided him. Additionally, the clip captured voices in the background, including cries from others at the scene.

Furthermore, footage of the crash has been circulating online since early Thursday. At approximately 5 a.m. EST, Times Now posted a video with the caption: "Caught On Cam: Passenger plane crashes near Ahmedabad Airport."

The plane is flying dangerously close to the ground, and then, it disappears for a second before a large explosion blows black smoke and fire into the air.

Roughly an hour later, Air India released a statement confirming the crash and the number of people on board. The airline said injured passengers had been taken to nearby hospitals and that a helpline — 1-800-569-1444 — was active for those seeking information.

The airline also requested that members of the media refrain from calling the hotline and instead follow updates on its X handle and official website.

Later in the day, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson delivered a public address regarding the crash. He started by expressing sympathy for those affected and highlighted that the airline’s immediate priority was attending to the needs of the passengers, crew, and their families.

The CEO went on to review the flight’s details and the number of people on board, and outlined their ongoing response: local authorities had transported the injured to nearby hospitals, and Air India was working closely with them on emergency efforts.

Wilson also explained that the company was sending a dedicated support team to Ahmedabad to provide additional assistance and acknowledged the public’s need for updates.

However, the CEO stressed that the airline would only share information once it was verified and asked for everyone to avoid speculation.

Finally, Wilson stated that teams were working around the clock to assist passengers, crew, their families, and investigators, and ended his remarks with a "thank you."

As India remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations, King Charles III released a statement on behalf of himself and Queen Camilla.

Deeply shocked by the events in Ahmedabad, the royal couple expressed their condolences to everyone affected and those awaiting word on loved ones across several nations. The statement also included praise for the emergency crews who responded to the crisis.

While the situation continues to unfold today, we also offer our heartfelt sympathies to the victims' families and loved ones during this difficult time.