'Green and white lights, then crash': Sole survivor of Air India AI171 recalls emergency exit escape

A British national was the lone survivor of the ill-fated Air India flight AI171 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, killing 241 people onboard.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating on the Ahmedabad-London route, had 242 people onboard, including 12 crew members, when it took off from Runway 23 at 1:39 pm IST.

Moments after the takeoff, the aircraft issued a Mayday call to the Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC), but ceased communication thereafter, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.

The wide-bodied aircraft crashed into a nearby building complex that housed a hostel of a medical college, bursting into flames and leaving a trail of devastation.

Air India has confirmed that all but one onboard perished in the tragic accident.

The sole survivor, 45-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, was seated in 11A, a window seat near an emergency exit in the first row of the economy class section.

Aviation experts suggest the proximity to the exit door could have played a role in his miraculous escape.

Speaking to Doordarshan from his hospital bed, Ramesh recounted the terrifying moments of the crash: “After takeoff, for 5-10 seconds, it felt like everything was stuck. There were green and white lights, and then [the plane] crashed into a building,” he said. “I don't know about others, but the place I was sitting that portion landed on the ground floor, and there was some space. As soon as my door broke, I saw that there was some space, and then I tried to get out, and I got out.”

“There was a building wall on the opposite side, and the plane had crashed completely on that side, so probably that is why nobody could get out from that side. There was space only where I was. I don't know how I survived.”

Ramesh, who sustained burns on his left hand, walked away from the crash site and was later admitted to a local hospital where he is receiving treatment.

“PM Modi asked me about the incident. It all happened in front of my eyes. I couldn't even believe how I was saved. For instance, I thought I would also die. But when I opened my eyes, I was alive. I removed my seat belt and escaped from there,” he said.

The aircraft was commanded by Capt Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, and assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had clocked 1,100 flying hours. Both were among those who lost their lives in the crash.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident. While the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal probe, officials have refrained from speculating on the reasons for the crash until the black box is recovered and analysed.