The Moment The Sole Survivor Of The Air India Crash Walked To The Ambulance (video)

The only person who survived the tragic Air India crash, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, described the terrifying moment the plane failed to take off properly—and his complete disbelief at surviving it.

Ramesh, a British citizen with Indian roots, was on board the flight bound for London. The plane crashed just moments after departing from Ahmedabad, a city in northwestern India, on Thursday afternoon. Tragically, 241 people on the aircraft lost their lives, along with at least 29 people on the ground. By late Friday, rescue workers had found 25 more bodies in the wreckage.

This crash is now considered one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. It was also the first crash involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since the aircraft was introduced in 2009, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

Speaking from a government hospital, Ramesh told India’s national broadcaster what he remembered. According to him, the aircraft seemed to freeze in the air just seconds after takeoff. He recalled green and white lights flashing and the engines roaring, but the plane failed to climb. It then crashed into a residential building that housed a medical college hostel.

He witnessed the horrifying sight of passengers and crew members dying around him. His own brother, who was traveling with him, was among those who didn’t survive.

Ramesh had been seated in seat 11A. That part of the plane slammed into the ground floor of the building. After the impact, he quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and managed to push himself out through a nearby open door.

“When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t believe I was still alive,” he said. He remembered seeing pieces of the destroyed plane scattered all around.

Though injured, especially with burns on his left hand, Ramesh somehow walked away from the crash site—still in shock. A few local residents saw him and helped him reach an ambulance, which rushed him to the hospital.

Back home, his family was in turmoil. His other brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told Sky News that Ramesh had video-called their father shortly after the crash. “He said, ‘The plane crashed. I can’t find my brother. I don’t see any passengers. I don’t even know how I’m alive or how I got out,’” Nayan recalled.

Ramesh also contacted relatives in Leicester, UK. His cousin, Ajay Valgi, said Ramesh only told the family that he was okay. “He just said he’s fine—nothing more,” Valgi said. Ramesh is married and has a young son. The family, while thankful for his survival, remains heartbroken over the loss of his brother.

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, visited the crash site on Friday. He also met Ramesh in the hospital. “I told him what I saw,” said Ramesh. “He asked me about my health.”

According to Dr. Dhaval Gameti, Ramesh had multiple injuries and was initially confused but was now stable and out of danger. He even kept his boarding pass with him while in the hospital.

“He’s recovering well and could be discharged very soon,” Dr. Gameti confirmed.

Eyewitnesses were stunned to see the lone survivor—bruised, burned, but alive—limping his way to the ambulance that carried him away from the scene of so much tragedy.