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Indian PM visits British lone survivor of Air India crash in hospital

Indian PM visits British lone survivor of Air India crash in hospital

Independent18 hours ago

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the sole survivor of the devastating Air India flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
British national Vishwakumar Ramesh, seated in 11A near an emergency exit on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, survived with only minor injuries.
PM Modi was filmed meeting with Ramesh, and also other survivors who sustained injuries on the ground due to the immense impact and debris from the wreckage.
The London Gatwick-bound jet crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad Airport on Thursday (12 June) killing 241 of the 242 people on board.

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'I was meant to be on fatal Air India flight. Heavy traffic saved my life' Bhoomi Chauhan said she felt 'numb' after hearing about the crash, which claimed the lives of hundreds of people The debris from the Air India plane that crashed in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state (Image: CISF via AP ) A woman who was supposed to be on board the Air India plane which crashed shortly after take-off said she felt "totally numb" when she heard about the tragedy. Bhoomi Chauhan, who lives in the UK with her husband, had been on holiday in India and was due to travel back to the UK on the doomed AI171 flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick. But while on her way to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for her flight, Bhoomi, got stuck in traffic, NDTV reported. ‌ In an interview to the news agency ANI, she said: "Yesterday, I was actually going back to London and the time for my flight was 1.10pm (local time). By the time we reached, it was already 12.20pm and at 12.10pm Air India stopped the check-in process.' For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here ‌ Bhoomi pleaded with Air India officials to be allowed to board the flight, but was denied as it would cause further delay. She said: 'When I reached the check-in gate, I requested them saying that I've only been 10 minutes late, so let me go, I'll quickly clear whatever the immigration process and other processes will be. 'The officials and their senior staff who had come, I requested to all of them but the three of them sent me back saying that because of you being late by 10 minutes, we can be delayed a further 15 minutes, so I had to return.' Article continues below Bhoomi was in her car on her way back when she heard of the crash. 'The reason I was late is because of Ahmedabad traffic… we had entered the city area due to which we got late,' Bhoomi said. 'When we got to know [of the crash], we had almost left for home from the airport, we were in our car and that's when we saw the news that there's been a plane crash, and at that time, I was feeling totally numb. 'And one side I thanked my god, goddess, that I was saved but on the other side, it was also there that this incident that happened is very terrifying.' ‌ Air India has confirmed that there were 242 people aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner which included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national, with the sole survivor being a British national of Indian origin. The only survivor was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who recounted the horror of waking up in the crashed plane and seeing people 'dying in front of my eyes". The Tata Group, which is the parent company of the Air India airline, has said that it will give 10 million Indian rupees [roughly £86,000] to each family whose loved ones lost their lives in the crash. Article continues below Downing street has confirmed that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is providing consular support to Mr Ramesh. The FCDO has said that any British National who is in need of consular help, or anyone who is worried about family members or friends, can ring 020 7008 5000.

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