The lone survivor of the deadly Air India plane crash that killed 241 people has described how he escaped the burning wreckage after the plane slammed into a building in Ahmedabad.
On Thursday, Air India Flight 171 from London crashed into a residential complex in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff, killing all but one of 242 passengers and several people on the ground, according to the Daily Mail. The flight was bound for London but failed to gain altitude, ultimately splitting apart and erupting into flames on impact.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old London resident, recounted from his hospital bed how he leapt from the aircraft after the emergency door broke open on impact. Seated in 11A, right next to the exit, Ramesh said the plane plummeted quickly and felt as if it had gotten “stuck” midair before crashing full-speed into the ground floor of the building.
Flames quickly engulfed the aircraft, and Ramesh burned his arm as he scrambled out. He described seeing bodies and wreckage all around him, and witnessing flight attendants die in front of him.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ramesh and other injured victims at the hospital on Friday, later posting a message of grief and solidarity on social media. Rescue teams continue to search the site, with DNA testing underway to identify the victims.
U.S. investigators from agencies including the NTSB and FAA are expected to arrive to assist with the crash probe. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the inquiry under international aviation protocols.
Meanwhile, investigators are still searching for the plane’s black boxes and examining how the aircraft failed so catastrophically just moments after takeoff.
