The lone survivor of the Air India crash might have provided a crucial piece of information regarding the tragedy, as he recounted the events leading up to the crash that resulted in the loss of more than 200 lives.
On June 12, a 40-year-old British national emerged as the sole survivor of an Air India flight disaster that claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew members, as well as individuals on the ground.
The AI171 flight took off from Ahmedabad, en route to London Gatwick, when it crashed into a medical hostel building shortly after takeoff.
The Boeing 787-8 had 242 passengers and crew aboard, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese citizens.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated at 11a, was the only person to emerge alive from the ill-fated aircraft.
His testimony may hold the key to understanding the mechanical failure that the pilots were battling to overcome.
In an interview with the Hindustan Times and Indian state media outlet DD News from his hospital bed in Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Ramesh recounted: “Thirty seconds after takeoff there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.
“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.”
He described how he managed to escape by unbuckling his seatbelt and using his ‘leg to push through that opening’ before he ‘crawled out’.
However, it is his observation just before the plane collided with the hostel building that could provide a significant clue about the cause of the crash.
He noted: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.
“Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white.
“The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”
The flickering lights echoed a problem reported on the same aircraft just hours before the crash.
A passenger who traveled on the plane the previous day reported issues with electrical components.
Aviation specialists suggest that these electrical malfunctions could indicate a power failure, which might be a factor in the crash.
Currently, various theories are being considered regarding the incident.
Factors such as engine thrust, flaps and landing gear, bird strike, or pilot error are all under scrutiny by different experts.
While many speculate, Vishwash remains the key witness who can offer invaluable insights.
He recounted: “I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me […] I walked out of the rubble.”
He stated: “I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel. I don’t know about others.”
Vishwash was in seat 11A, near the emergency exit, which reportedly detached when the aircraft impacted the building.
Describing the moment he realized he survived, he said: “At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage.”