Asger Risom
A British man is the only known survivor after an Air India jet slammed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing nearly everyone on board and several on the ground.
India is reeling after a devastating plane crash on Thursday that killed more than 260 people. Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, went down moments after takeoff, crashing into a student dormitory and erupting into flames.
Survivor escaped moments before impact
Miraculously, one man survived. Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, was seated in 11A near the emergency exit.
According to police, he opened the door and jumped from the aircraft just before it slammed into the dormitory at BJ Medical College Civil Hospital.
“He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out,” confirmed senior police officer Vidhi Chaudhary. Ramesh sustained impact injuries but was able to walk away. He is now hospitalized.
In an emotional video call to his father shortly after the crash, Ramesh reportedly said, “I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive.”
Crash obliterates student dormitory
The Air India jet was carrying 242 passengers, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese. The plane crashed into university housing, killing at least five medical students and injuring 50 more, according to the Federation of All India Medical Association, as reported by Newsweek.
Rescue teams have recovered more than 200 bodies, many charred beyond recognition, prompting the government to initiate a DNA identification process. Officials fear the final death toll may be significantly higher due to ground casualties.
What went wrong?
Security camera footage from the area shows the plane struggling to climb after takeoff before plunging into the building. While investigations are ongoing, the video has raised questions about mechanical failure or loss of thrust.
India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is concluding recovery operations. The crash is among the deadliest in the country’s aviation history.
