A British father miraculously walked away from the Air India plane disaster which is believed to have claimed the lives of hundreds of people.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, spoke from the safety of a hospital bed hours after making an incredible escape from the doomed Gatwick-bound Flight 171 earlier today.
Astonishing footage showed the passenger with visible injuries hobbling away from the scene of the crash. He reportedly sustained injuries to his chest, eyes and feet.
Police found the passenger, who had been in seat 11A when the jet came down, in a residential area in Gujarat, and transferred him to a nearby hospital for treatment.
This afternoon his family confirmed that Mr Ramesh was on board – but that they had not heard from another relative who they believed was also on the flight.
Speaking to local media from his hospital bed, Mr Ramesh said that his brother had been sitting on another row adding ‘I can’t find him anymore’.
‘Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,’ he added.
‘When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran.
‘There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.’
Mr Ramesh, who lives in London with his wife and child, was travelling home from seeing family in India when the plane crashed, hitting buildings housing doctors in the city of Ahmedabad.
On the ground, police said they had found another survivor in the hospital struck by the plane. The confirmed death toll has climbed to at least 240 people, according to police.
Before the discovery of the British survivor, authorities said that they believed no one had escaped the flight alive. The plane had been carrying 244 passengers, according to police.
There were 53 British nationals on board as well as 159 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese citizens and a Canadian. Eleven of those on board were children, including two newborns.
British passengers Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their daughter, who lived in Gloucester, were on board the flight, the BBC reported this evening.
Rescue teams supported by the military have recovered 204 bodies from the scene so far, with casualties from the plane and the area surrounding the crash.
Aviation experts say that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner may have suddenly lost power ‘at the most critical phase of flight’ after takeoff.
Astonishing footage showed the man walking away from the scene with some visible injuries to his face
Authorities had said earlier they believed there were no survivors on the Gatwick-bound flight that crashed in Gujarat carrying 242 passengers, including 53 Britons
The plane momentarily disappeared from view behind trees and buildings before a massive fireball erupted on the horizon in this horrifying clip
A video posted to social media appeared to show the plane descending in a controlled manner with a high nose angle and landing gear deployed
Police said they had found a lone survivor who had been sitting in seat 11A when Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff in India this morning
A family member cries upon hearing the news of her brother who died when the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025
Rescue team members work as smoke rises at the site in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025
People look at the debris of an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad of India’s Gujarat state
The number of fatalities is not yet known but rescuers said at least 30 bodies have so far been recovered from a building
Firefighters work at the site of the crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
The possible causes are believed to include a rapid change in wind or a bird strike leading to a double engine stall.
Officials from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are now at the scene to carry out an analysis of the wreckage and retrieve the stricken jet’s black box.
Videos shared on social media showed the aircraft rapidly losing altitude – with its nose up – before it hit a building and erupted in a violent explosion.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that one passenger had somehow survived the crash.
‘The police found one survivor in seat 11A. He has been taken to the hospital and is currently receiving treatment,’ he told news agency ANI.
‘As for the number of casualties, it’s too early to confirm. The crash occurred in a residential area, so the death toll may rise.’
The Boeing jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat at around 1:40pm (0810 GMT), officials said.
Ahmedabad, the main city of India’s Gujarat state, is home to around eight million people, and the busy airport is surrounded by densely packed residential areas.
‘When we reached the spot there were several bodies lying around and firefighters were dousing the flames,’ resident Poonam Patni told AFP.
‘Many of the bodies were burned,’ she added.
‘Our office is near the building where the plane crashed. We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames,’ said one resident, who declined to be named.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the scenes from the crash were ‘devastating’, in a statement addressing passengers and their families ‘at this deeply distressing time.’
The UK government said Thursday it was sending a team to support the investigation.
Boeing said it was ‘working to gather more information’ on the incident which a source close to the case said was the first crash for a 787 Dreamliner.
Lt. Col. John R. Davidson, a former US Air Force pilot and commercial aviation safety consultant, said the plane appeared to have reached takeoff speed but not altitude, according to flight data, suggesting ‘either a very late rotation or a stall shortly after takeoff’.
‘There are a number of possible scenarios: thrust or engine performance issues, excessive aircraft weight, poor trim or flap configuration, or a more critical failure that affected the aircraft’s ability to climb,’ he said.
‘Weather, windshear or even bird strike can’t be ruled out either at this early stage.’
Preliminary flight tracking data from flightradar24 reveals the plane reached an altitude of just 625ft after takeoff – a height far below standard for a commercial aircraft several minutes into departure.
Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, a former senior pilot, told NDTV that circulating footage showing the plane’s terrifying descent ‘looked like a case of multiple bird hits wherein both the engines have lost power’.
‘The takeoff was perfect,’ he said. ‘And just, I believe, short of taking the gear up, the aircraft started descending, which can happen only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift.’
Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar noted that the Dreamliner was only 11 years old, so was unlikely to have underlying technical issues. The plane was under the command of Captain Summeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of experience.
A bird strike ‘would explain why the aircraft did not have the power to lift,’ he said. ‘If there were multiple bird hits on take-off, it probably could not have gone beyond the 6-7 minute threshold and started falling.’
In pilots’ forums, aviation experts said that it sounded like the plane’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency wind turbine, had been deployed shortly before the crash.
A view of the site where a plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in India’s western state of Gujarat on June 12, 2025
Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner lies at the site where the Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025
Parts of the jet appeared to have smashed into the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital
Remnants of the fuselage and the landing gear were seen dangling through a gaping hole in the side of what appeared to be a canteen, with half-finished plates of food clearly visible on benches inside
The tail of the Dreamliner plane that crashed, hitting buildings in a residential area
Rescuers work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025
Davidson explained that the low altitude and high speed reading at the final moment might indicate a ‘steep nose-down trajectory or a stall event’ just after takeoff.
‘This is consistent with accidents like Spanair Flight 5022 and Flydubai Flight 981, where mechanical or environmental factors combined with compromised lift performance led to loss of control during or just after liftoff,’ he said.
The former pilot noted: ‘Flight data alone isn’t enough to determine fault — but it tells us this aircraft never truly made it airborne in a meaningful way.
‘Whatever happened, it happened fast, and right at the most critical phase of flight.’
According to data logs recorded at 30-second intervals showed the plane remained on the ground or was taxiing slowly for over four minutes after it first registered on public trackers.
The plane took off and reached 625ft, but no further gains in altitude were recorded before the crash.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the plane sent a mayday call moments before the tragedy unfolded.
Prof Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, observed: ‘At the time of the departure, the weather conditions at the airport appear to have been very good.
‘It was a dry and sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures near 40°C.
‘There was good visibility and light winds from the west. There was no bad weather in the vicinity.
‘There is no indication at this stage that turbulence or other weather conditions were a factor in the crash.’
Prof John McDermid, Lloyd’s Register Chair of Safety, University of York, noted: ‘It’s surprising that the accident occurred before the aircraft had even got to 200metres altitude.
‘Pilots can abort take-off until quite late in the take-off roll, so it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly in the final part of the take-off roll, or shortly after take-off, and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable.
‘Given the levels of redundancy in systems, the fact that aircraft are designed to climb out on only one engine, etc. on initial sight this seems a very surprising accident.’
Peter Neenan, aviation lawyer and Partner at UK law firm Stewarts, explained that there would likely be a joint investigation to uncover the cause of the tragedy.
‘In due course, the Indian Directorate of General Civil Aviation will begin their investigation,’ he said.
‘The US National Transportation Safety Board will assist in that investigation and given the number of deaths of British nationals, we would expect the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch to also assist.’
He noted that such investigations ‘routinely take two or more years to complete’.
Civilians surround parts of the jet that seemingly smashed into a medical college canteen
The Air India flight to London with 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew members, crashed Thursday shortly after takeoff from an airport in Gujarat
Debris is seen at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025
The Air India flight crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport
The jet careened back to earth in the densely populated Meghani area of the city.
Dark images showed the charred remains of bodies littering the site, while other pictures shared to social media revealed chunks of the plane’s fuselage and tail protruding from a demolished building.
Parts of the jet smashed into accommodation for doctors practising at the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital.
Remnants of the fuselage and the landing gear were seen dangling through a gaping hole in the side of what appeared to be a canteen, with half-finished plates of food clearly visible on benches inside.
‘The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,’ a senior police officer told reporters at the scene.
Firefighters doused the smouldering piles of debris with their hoses as photos and videos taken by horrified residents in Meghani showed a huge plume of thick black smoke emanating from the crash site.
‘Our office is near the building where the plane crashed. We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames,’ said one resident, who declined to be named.
Footage of the final moments before the crash appeared to show the plane descending in a controlled manner with a high nose angle and landing gear deployed.
It momentarily disappeared from view behind trees and buildings before a massive fireball erupted on the horizon. The jet was fuelled for a long-haul flight direct to Gatwick, intensifying the blast.
Chunks of the plane’s fuselage and tail were seen protruding from a demolished building
The tail of the jet is seen protruding from a building in the Meghani area of the city
Emergency personnel work at the crash site of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025
Rescuers work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025
British Foreign Minister David Lammy said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by news of the crash, adding that Britain was now working with Indian authorities to establish exactly what led to the incident.
‘My thoughts are with all those affected. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support,’ his statement read.
The Indian aviation minister’s office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the crash as ‘heartbreaking beyond words’, had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately.
All relevant agencies were on high alert and coordinated efforts were underway, the aviation minister’s office added.
Air India’s Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran shared a heartfelt statement that read: ‘With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.
‘Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.
‘We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.’
Gatwick Airport subsequently confirmed the flight that was due to land at 18:25 today had crashed on departure.
Aviation expert Julian Bray told MailOnline: ‘It’s a Boeing Dreamliner that has gone down – not certain whether they’ve managed to get anybody off the plane.
‘If it has indeed crash-landed and they can deploy the chutes out then they should be able to get people off in 90 seconds. I am aware there are fire appliances in attendance – this is a major incident.
‘It is very disappointing that it is a Dreamliner as it is a state-of-the-art Boeing. We cannot rule out security issues. But this is all speculation on my part.’
The cause of the crash is not yet known. Emergency services are en route to the scene
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 202
Weather conditions were calm at the time of the accident with clear skies and a windspeed of just seven knots, or eight miles per hour.
Indian news agency ANI reported police sources had confirmed 242 people were on board the flight.
India’s aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement: ‘Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert.
‘I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.
‘Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.’
The Director General of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is en route to the site of the incident with a team of investigators, according to the Times of India.
Air India shared a brief statement in the wake of the disaster, writing on X: ‘Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025.
‘At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.’
Ahmedabad is the main city in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat.
Ahmedabad airport said it had suspended all flight operations with immediate effect following the incident this morning.
The plane is seen descending rapidly with landing gear deployed seconds before erupting in a fireball
Citizens descended on the wreckage in the hope of finding survivors
Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025
The flight reportedly reached an altitude of just 625 feet before it began to descend, according to flight tracking service Flightradar 24, which declared the plane’s transponder signal dropped just seconds after it left the runway
Firefighters at the scene doused the smouldering piles of debris with their hoses as photos and videos taken by horrified residents in Meghani showed a huge plume of thick black smoke emanating from the crash site
Shocked residents are seen standing close to the scene as firefighters work to extinguish flames
Shocking images shared to social media showed a huge trail of smoke emanating from the crash site near the international airport this morning
Thick plumes of black smoke are seen rising from the site of the crash
Smoke trails at the scene of the crash
The 787 Dreamliner involved in today’s crash is a widebody, twin-engine plane. It is believed to be the first ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost arm.
The airline’s Boeing-737 overshot a ‘table-top’ runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground.
Twenty-one people were killed in that crash.
The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara – a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024.
Tata said an emergency centre had been activated and a support team set up for families seeking information.
Today’s tragedy is the latest in a string of disasters involving Boeing jets and comes just six months after a 737 crashed in South Korea, killing 179.
In October 2018, Boeing’s Lion Air flight 610 plunged into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, in Indonesia killing all 189 people on board.
Then, in March 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed minutes after departing Addis Ababa, resulting in the deaths of 157 passengers and crew.
Shares of planemaker Boeing fell 8% in premarket US trading following today’s incident.
Boeing said in a statement it was aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information.
