How Lone Survivor Of Air India Crash Escaped: Landed On Piled Up Soil Between Two Buildings
Top sources were quoted as saying British businessman Vishwas Kumar Ramesh landed in the narrow gap between two buildings where loose soil had been piled up, cushioning his fall
His story is nothing short of a miracle, but the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash has said his astonishing escape was a combination of fortune and quick decision making in identifying a crucial space amidst the wreckage and acting fast.
Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the 40-year-old British businessman from Leicester, reportedly landed on loose soil piled up in a narrow gap between two buildings when the flight crashed into the residential quarters of the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad. The video in which he can be seen walking out of the campus amid utter devastation, has gone viral.
One of the worst aviation tragedies in India, the crash killed 241 passengers and crew members on board the London-bound flight. Only Vishwas Kumar Ramesh survived, seated on 11A close to the emergency door on the left side of the ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Top sources told India Today TV that Ramesh landed in the narrow gap between two buildings where loose soil had been piled up, cushioning his fall and saving his life. There was an internal explosion after the aircraft crashed into the building, and many have said he could not have escaped unscathed.
But his survival is now being attributed to the spot he landed on. In fact, he has told DD News in an interview that the portion of the plane where he was seated fell on the ground floor of the hostel premises.
'Luckily, the portion of the plane where I was seated fell on the ground floor of the hostel premises after the plane crash landed. When I saw that the door of the plane was broken, I told myself 'I can try and get out'. Eventually, I got out of the plane," Ramesh said.
'I believe that others could not escape because there was a wall on that side (of the hostel) while there was a small gap where I was sitting. I still can't believe how I survived the crash because I saw people dying in front of my eyes," he told DD News.
He added: 'Though I managed to escape, my left hand got burnt as the plane caught fire after the crash. I walked out of the aircraft and then an ambulance brought me to hospital."
In a viral video shot by a local resident immediately after the crash, he can be seen walking towards the ambulance after getting hurt in the crash.
'It all happened in front of my eyes. I cannot believe how I survived…For a brief moment, I felt I was about to die but when my eyes opened, I was alive. I unbuckled myself from the seat and exited from an opening," he said.
Police have confirmed that at least 265 people, including those on the ground, were killed in the tragedy. Four MBBS students and a doctor's wife were among those killed at the complex of BJ Medical College located outside the airport perimeter.
(With PTI inputs)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
5 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India denies allegations of asking financial details from victims' family members to process compensation
The crash, which occurred on June 12, involved Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying to London. It left 241 people dead.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
More remains of 16 victims of Air India crash recovered in Gujarat
The charred remains of 16 victims of the June 12 Air India crash have been recovered and identified, officials said on Friday, adding that these have been returned to families of six of the victims. More remains of 16 victims of Air India crash recovered in Gujarat The toll from the crash remains unchanged at 260, the officials said, with 241 passengers and crew and the victims on the ground where the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed. 'Of the 16 recently recovered mortal remains, families of six victims have accepted the bodies for final rites. Nine families have requested hospital authorities to conduct the final ceremonies on their behalf. We are still attempting to contact one family regarding the handover process,' said an official at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. While authorities handed over the remains of the 260 victims to their families after DNA identification, the recovery operation at the site on continued over the last three weeks. 'The identification of the body parts recently recovered, mainly bones, is being done at Ahmedabad FSL and it takes about 48 to 72 hours for successful DNA matching,' a second official said. A London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here on June 12, killing 241 on board and several others on the ground. One passenger, Viswashkumar Ramesh, miraculously survived.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Citizens, political leaders rally to save British-era bridge in Sivasagar
Dibrugarh: A groundswell of opposition has emerged in Sivasagar against proposals to demolish the iconic Dikhow bridge. Citizens, organisations, and political leaders have joined forces to demand the preservation and restoration of the 90-year-old British-era structure that has served as a nostalgic landmark for generations. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The vertical lift bridge, constructed in 1935 by Braithwaite and Co (India) Ltd of Calcutta, spans the River Dikhow on AT Road and represents a significant piece of Assam's colonial-era infrastructure. The steel structure, measuring 159 metres in length and 4.88 metres in width, was originally designed with a 31-metre mid-span that could be lifted to allow ships to pass through — a mechanism that facilitated tradeduring British rule. During the East India Company era, it served as a vital link in the transportation network, with machinery and tea being shipped between Nazira town and Kolkata via the Dikhow and Brahmaputra rivers. The lifting mechanism, once the bridge's most distinctive feature, has become non-functional over the decades. However, the bridge's future became uncertain when a handful of citizens recently submitted a memorandum to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma requesting its demolition and replacement with a new structure. The proposal has triggered widespread opposition from various quarters of society. "We demand the preservation of this heritage bridge. Any step to dismantle the bridge will be opposed. Its demolition would mean erasing a chapter of Assam's history," said Rupak Bhuyan, president of Gana Kantha, Sivasagar, whose organisation recently submitted a memorandum to the CM calling for the bridge's renovation. Currently, the bridge serves limited vehicular traffic, having been closed to four-wheelers after state govt constructed a parallel bridge. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Nevertheless, it remains accessible to pedestrians and two-wheelers, though usage has declined over the years. The structure has found new life as a popular photography and selfie destination for visitors to Sivasagar. Residents recall the bridge's golden years when it bustled with activity, serving as a crucial artery for commerce and daily life. "This bridge has witnessed generations of our families crossing it. It's more than just a infrastructure, it's part of our collective memory. It represents our historical connection to the past and must be protected for future generations," said Manoj Kumar Borthakur, president of Sivasagar Citizens' Forum. The controversy has drawn attention from across the political spectrum. Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi has publicly said he "won't allow the dismantling of the British-era Dikhow bridge", while Congress leader and Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia, who serves as leader of the opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, has written to CM Sarma advocating for the bridge's preservation.
