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'There were bodies all around': British survivor recalls Air India horror
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, narrowly escaped death after an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. Of the 242 people on board, 204 bodies have been recovered from the crash site near Ahmedabad airport.
Ramesh, who had been visiting family in Gujarat, was seated in 11A when the Boeing 787 went down. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed the development to ANI, stating: 'The police found one survivor in seat 11A. One survivor has been found in the hospital and is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area.'
'There were bodies all around me': survivor recounts escape
Speaking to local media from his hospital bed, Vishwash recalled the terrifying moment: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, 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.'
This man walking in white shirt Mr. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, Seat 11 A has survived the today's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It's a miracle. He is the only one survivor confirmed by Ahmedabad Police. Thanks God. pic.twitter.com/gGLgt479m5
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) June 12, 2025
He is currently receiving treatment at Civil Hospital, Asarwa, for injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. His brother, 45-year-old Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who was travelling with him, remains missing.
Crash devastates residential area in Ahmedabad
The aircraft crashed in Meghani Nagar, a densely populated residential area of Ahmedabad. The wreckage reportedly struck multiple buildings, including a hostel for medical students. Police indicated that local residents may also be among the casualties.
Twenty-five injured individuals have been identified and sent to various hospitals. Air India Flight AI171 was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including two pilots. The passenger manifest included 159 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Eleven children were on board, including two infants.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off at 1.39 pm from Ahmedabad airport. Minutes later, the pilot issued a 'Mayday' call to Air Traffic Control, but communication was lost shortly thereafter. The aircraft then crashed.
Eyewitness footage circulating on social media showed the plane rapidly losing altitude with its nose pointed upward before it struck a building and exploded. Reports suggest the aircraft reached an altitude of only 600 to 800 feet before it went down.
Investigation into crash and black box underway
Aviation experts believe the crash may have been caused by a power failure or double engine stall during the critical takeoff phase. Possible triggers include a bird strike or abrupt wind shift. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has begun inspecting the wreckage, and teams are working to recover the flight's black box, which will contain cockpit recordings and flight data.
This marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft model was introduced, prompting serious questions about reliability and operational safety.
Authorities urge caution, rescue operations ongoing
Ahmedabad Police have issued an advisory asking residents to avoid the crash site, after reports emerged of people filming videos and obstructing emergency responders.
Rescue operations, aided by the military, are ongoing. Teams continue to search for victims and evidence, while hospitals are treating survivors around the clock.
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New Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
AUW! Could Air India Flight AI-171's weight have doomed it?
A pilot who had promised to come back to be with his ailing dad, who was pushing close to 90 and in need of care. A doctor couple who had dreamed of starting their life afresh in London with their three kids, two of them twins. A former Chief Minister of Gujarat who had boarded the plane to bring back his wife. The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 on the afternoon of June 12, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London, snuffed out valuable lives and has raised urgent questions about what went wrong. A day after the worst crash involving a single aircraft in India, various theories are circulating about the possible causes, from mechanical failure to environmental conditions and human error. Drawing on my experience as a retired Air Force Wing Commander and flight engineer with decades of operational experience, I would like to hazard a few guesses on the potential factors behind the crash—particularly aircraft weight, environmental parameters, engine performance, and maintenance practices. While doing so, kindly allow me to emphasise the critical importance of safety protocols and technical discipline in aviation. The weight factor One critical factor that might have to be assessed while investigating the crash of Flight AI-171 will be All Up Weight (AUW). AUW is the total weight of the aircraft, including fuel, cargo and passengers. This is calculated before every takeoff. AUW must remain within the safe limits when each aircraft takes off. AUW limits vary according to the altitude at which the runway is situated and the outside air temperature (OAT). Rain, to quote an example, can influence the permissible AUW. Then there are the locations that need to be considered as mentioned above. An aircraft that can take off with an AUW of 100 tons from the Trivandrum airport might only be able to carry 75 tons from Leh, even if the temperature at both places is the same. This is because of the variation in air density due to changes in altitude. Also, at high atmospheric temperatures, aircraft engines are pushed to their limits. This is because the engines always need high-density air for optimum performance and maximum power. But when the temperatures are high, air becomes less dense, putting limitations on engine performance. From the available videos of AI-171, it is very clear that the aircraft was able to pick up speed and lift off initially. The flaps and leading edge slats helped with the initial lift-off, further supported by the nose-up attitude. Thereafter, the aircraft could not sustain height. The temperature in Ahmedabad at 13:18 was 40 degrees Celsius. There is a high probability that during the second leg of the aircraft's take-off, the atmospherics messed up with AUW calculations, and the engines and the low-density air failed to support the overweight aircraft. Also, please remember, that handbags are rarely weighed. On an average, if each passenger carries 5 kg extra in their handbags, a total of 1 ton is added to the AUW of the aircraft, and those numbers are never going into the calculations made by the crew. There are hints that the Captain had some clue regarding the aircraft being overweight. Why do I say this? Well, AI-171 departed using the full length of Runway 23 at the Ahmedabad airport. It must be noted that Runway 23 is 11,499 feet long. The aircraft backtracked to the edge of the runway before beginning its take-off roll. A full-length runway is not usually needed for this class of aircraft. But Captain Sumit Sabharwal wanting to ensure that every inch of the runway was used is telling in retrospect. Drawing from my experience On various occasions, as military aviators, we experienced the problem of lack of thrust and lift on military aircraft, especially in high-altitude areas. On one occasion, we had to fly the aircraft a few meters above the Shyok River in the Ladakh sector for 15-20 minutes to burn the fuel to make the aircraft light. In a similar incident, we had to orbit in a valley for half an hour as the aircraft was not climbing over the Khardungla pass. But both of these were calculated risks taken due to commitment compulsions. We knew how the aircraft was going to behave. However, such a risk cannot be taken in the case of a passenger aircraft. The need to examine the state of the engines Media sources indicate that the last communication from the Captain was of there being no thrust and lift for the aircraft. This directly points to the performance of the engines. Scheduled servicing of the engines and their timely overhauling are both paramount when it comes to ensuring safety. It has to be ascertained from the engine logbooks and other records whether any kind of shortcuts or unprofessional methods were adopted in the engine maintenance and servicing activities. Even the most sophisticated engines will not perform as required if not maintained and serviced properly. Here, the aircraft was to operate close to the threshold of the flight envelope, for which it is designed, due to the very high atmospheric temperature and high AUW. In such circumstances, the engines are also expected to operate close to their maximum ratings. Only a properly maintained engine will perform as required at its maximum ratings. As a flight engineer, I have seen military aircraft engines performing at their max ratings for longer durations than prescribed by the OEM (original equipment manufacturer). Again, to make an engine operate confidently at max ratings at your will, you must be very confident about the engine maintenance activities. Examining the sabotage angle and the bird-hit theory There is a claim that the flaps and leading edge slats got retracted after takeoff without input from the pilot. It is true that if the control surfaces do not respond in time, this can lead to a loss of lift. But the aircraft was in its second leg and the first leg was uneventful. Also, a non-responsive control surface can happen, only if there is a software issue, hydraulic system failure, or a FOD (foreign object damage—a term used in aviation to represent loose articles getting inside engines or control surface actuating parts, affecting their performance). And here comes the sabotage angle. But remember, the aircraft was in its second leg after an uneventful first leg. And also, nonresponsive control surface will lead to a loss of lift only, not thrust, as called out by the captain. Bird hit causing an accident of such a magnitude is also unlikely. Even a big bird, like an eagle, will easily pass through the engines of such an aircraft and come out in ashes, temporarily raising the EJT (Exhaust Jet Temperature) . It will not lead to the stalling of the engine. In the case of the famous flight accident over Hudson River, it was a huge flock of birds that caused the stalling of both engines. Both engines failing due to bird hits can also be ruled out. But then the captain never called out an engine flame out. Had there been such a flame out, it would have the first warning seen in the cockpit and the captain would be calling out that. This never happened. What also needs to be examined is whether there was a wind reversal and a resultant tail wind factor during takeoff. A sudden and strong tailwind can also lead to such an accident. Importance of CVR, how machines behave and cloud over Air India Once the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) are analysed, the truth will come out. The last words of the crew, recorded in the CVR, are very important in an air accident investigation. The fact that the lone survivor was sitting very close to the front emergency exit on the port side of the aircraft reiterates the need to emphasise on the emergency rescue procedure for air passengers. The emergency door might have blasted off because of the heat and pressure, and the survivor was able to escape through the exit. Having operated military aircraft for many years, I can say one thing very categorically. No machine will give away all of a sudden. If it's a machine failure, it might have given a number of warnings in various forms to the operators and the maintenance staff. It is for the human to understand those warnings in time and take remedial actions to bring the machine back in line. This is the thumb rule for any machine. AI-171 too would have then given enough warnings if there had been a technical issue. Whether there were such warning signs and whether any remedial measures were taken can be found out only during the investigation. Till then, the question marks on the maintenance culture of Air India, once a government company, will remain. (Wing Commander A Mahesh (Retd) was a flight engineer with IAF and is a keen follower of the latest developments in the aviation industry.)
Mint
26 minutes ago
- Mint
'Darkest day in Tata group's history': What N Chandrasekharan told employees on Air India plane crash
Air India plane crash: The day after the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata Group, described 12 June as one of the "darkest days in the Tata Group's history" in an internal letter to employees. Chandrashekharan's message conveyed deep sorrow and solidarity with the Air India lane crash victims' families, reflecting the profound impact of the disaster on the entire organisation. A London bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college in Ahemedabad, merely seconds after take-off, resulting in one of the deadliest aviation disasters, and the first fatal accident of this aircraft model. The aviation tragedy killed everuyone on board, except one person seated on 11A. The tragic incident also killed 5 MBBS doctors, one PG resident doctor, and the wife of a senior doctor at the medical college. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the Air India plane crash, with experts considering factors such as engine failure or technical issues during take-off. This is a very difficult moment. What occurred yesterday was inexplicable, and we are in shock and mourning. To lose a single person we know is a tragedy, but for so many deaths to occur at once is incomprehensible. This is one of the darkest days in the Tata Group's history. Words are no consolation right now, but my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the people who died and were injured in the crash. We are here for them. I want to say that, like you, we want to understand what happened. We don't know right now, but we will. You know that in the past 24 hours, investigative teams from India, UK, and the US have arrived in Ahmedabad to investigate the crash. They have our full cooperation, and we will be completely transparent about the findings. We owe it to the families and loved ones, to our pilots and crew, and to you. The Tata Group takes its responsibility to society seriously, and that includes being open about what occurred yesterday. Right now, our very human instinct is to look for explanations that make sense of the calamity. There is plenty of speculation all around us. Some of it may be right, some of it may be wrong. I want to urge patience. We witnessed an enormous loss of life yesterday. Why this routine flight turned into a calamity is something trained investigators will help us understand when their work is complete. Once we have verified facts, we will be transparent in our communication about how this tragedy took place. As a Group trusted by so many, when we took over Air India, ensuring the safety of its passengers was our first and foremost priority. There was no compromising on it. None of this matters to the people who suffered devastating losses yesterday. At this time, we can only assure them of our full support. We will pull together as a Group and find ways to help them. We built this Group on trust and care. It is a difficult moment, but we will not retreat from our responsibilities, from doing what is right. We will carry this loss. We will not forget. In a letter to Air India on Friday, the DGCA outlined a series of mandatory checks for the airline's entire Boeing 787-8/9 fleet, effective from 15 June 2025. The one-time pre-departure inspections include fuel parameter monitoring and related system checks, cabin air compressor and associated systems inspection, electronic engine control-system tests, operational tests of engine fuel-driven actuators, oil system checks, serviceability checks of the hydraulic system, and a review of take-off parameters, the aviation watchdog said.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
IITian Gaurav Taneja, himself a pilot, on possible reasons of Ahmedabad Air India plane crash
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads About the Ahmedabad plane crash As the country reels from the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, speculation and grief have swept across social media platforms. With more than 200 lives lost, including passengers and 12 crew members, the tragedy has left a deep scar, drawing reactions from political leaders, film stars, and aviation experts alike. Amid the calls for accountability and answers, one voice that's garnered wide attention is that of IITian and former commercial pilot Gaurav Taneja—best known online as Flying Beast Taneja, who holds a in Civil Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and is a certified pilot with over a decade of flying experience, shared his initial analysis on X (formerly Twitter). He hinted at a catastrophic mechanical failure. According to his tweet, such a steep descent shortly after take-off from a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner could point to a dual engine failure , a scenario he described as 'extremely, extremely, extremely rare.''Nothing short of a complete power loss can force a modern aircraft into that kind of sink rate, right after take off,' wrote Taneja, adding prayers for all on board. His post quickly gained traction, with followers seeking deeper clarity. When asked about the likelihood of such an event, especially on a well-inspected international flight, Taneja explained that if an aircraft loses both engines just after take-off at an altitude of 600 feet with structures ahead, even the most experienced pilot is rendered transitioning into content creation, he served as First Officer in 2011 and was promoted to captain in 2014. Since stepping back from commercial flying in 2020, he has amassed a massive online following, offering insights on to ANI reports, a total of 241 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, have died in the devastating Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad. The sole survivor, a British national of Indian origin, is Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating on the Ahmedabad to London Gatwick route, took off on June 12, 2025, but crashed moments later into a resident doctors' hostel near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Air India confirmed the fatalities in a statement posted on X. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours. A Mayday call was made, but the aircraft lost contact soon after. The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs1 crore for the families of each deceased passenger.
