A remarkable event unfolded on Thursday when a passenger, Ramesh Vishwashkumar, emerged from the wreckage of a crashed Boeing 787-8 in India, which had 242 people on board. The 48-year-old British citizen, seated in 11A and the sole survivor of the crash, was seen walking, injured and disoriented, toward an ambulance shortly after the incident. Dressed in a blood-stained white t-shirt and dark pants, he limped across the scene. In a state of shock, he later recounted searching among the lifeless bodies for his brother, only to find him missing.
According to the Hindustan Times, Vishwashkumar was visiting India to see his family and was returning to London with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, aged 45. Reflecting on the chaos, Vishwashkumar told the newspaper, "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was terrified. I stood up and ran. The plane was in pieces everywhere." He also expressed, "I can't find my brother," pleading for assistance in locating him. "He was traveling with me but sat in a different row. Please help me find him."
Vishwashkumar has lived in London for the past twenty years, where his wife and son also reside. The authorities have yet to release an official medical report on his condition.
The ill-fated AI-171 flight was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among the passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian. The flight was en route to London-Gatwick Airport but tragically crashed just five minutes after takeoff, igniting in flames in the residential area of Meghani Nagar.
Key Questions about the India Plane Crash
What caused the AI-171 flight to crash?
The exact cause of the AI-171 crash is still under investigation, and authorities have yet to release a detailed report.
How many survivors were there in the crash?
Ramesh Vishwashkumar was the sole survivor of the crash, emerging from the wreckage despite the catastrophic event.
Where did the crash occur?
The plane crash occurred in the residential area of Meghani Nagar, shortly after departing from its origin.