‘Happened so quickly': British sole survivor in Air India crash reveals brother also onboard
The sole survivor of a horrific Air India crash has tragically revealed that his brother was also travelling with him on the flight, which claimed the lives of more than 200 onboard.
British citizen and father of one Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 42, miraculously walked away from the wreckage with minor injuries, telling local media his older brother Ajay was also on the flight a few rows away.
'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,' Mr Ramesh told the Hindustan Times.
'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.
'[My brother] was travelling with me and I can't find him anymore.'
A third brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, spoke to the BBC from his home after speaking to Vishwash.
'When he called us he was just more worried about my other brother, like 'Find Ajay, find Ajay,' Nayan said.
'That's all he cares about at the moment.'
'It feels great seeing him [Vishwashkumar] doing well' but he was worried about his other brother Ajay, who was also onboard.
'We were all in shock as soon as we heard what happened, just utter shock. Speechless.'
The Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787, was carrying 242 passengers when it crashed and exploded into flames just seconds after taking off from an airport in India's western city of Ahmedabad bound for London Gatwick.
Authorities have confirmed that just one passenger survived the crash.
Mr Ramesh received injuries to his chest, eyes and feet.
A relative told media in Leicester, UK, Mr Ramesh had told them that he had 'no idea how I exited the plane'.
Mr Ramesh 'got some injuries on his face. He was pretty much covered in blood – that's what his dad said', a relative called Jay said.
On board flight AI171 were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian, according to the airline.
The aeroplane crashed soon after takeoff into a residential neighbourhood hitting a hotel for doctors.
Authorities have said at least 50 medical students who were in the building are being treated in hospital.
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