Air India plane crash survivor meets prime minister Narendra Modi in hospital
Video footage shows Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, talking to Mr Modi while lying on his hospital bed.
The prime minister also visited the crash site.
Air India confirmed Mr Ramesh was the sole survivor of the 242 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed into a medical college shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787.
There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise.
Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.
Aviation experts have speculated about a number of possible causes for the crash, from both engines failing – possibly due to a bird strike, as happened in the so-called Miracle on the Hudson in 2009 – to the flaps on the aircraft's wings not being set to the correct position for take-off.
Images taken after the incident showed part of the plane embedded in the BJ Medical College building.
At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured.
Mr Ramesh was in seat 11A, next to one of the aircraft's emergency exits.
According to Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times, Mr Ramesh said after the crash: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.'
British couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead.
Mr Greenlaw-Meek appeared on ITV's This Morning earlier this year, and former editor of the show Martin Frizell praised his 'vibrancy' and 'enthusiasm'.
The Gloucester Muslim Community group offered 'sincere and deepest condolences' after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their daughter Sara were reported to be among the victims.
Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, called for people to come together as he announced the deaths of three people from his community.
'Among those lost were Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri, all from our Wellingborough community,' he said.
Mr Modi said the scenes of 'devastation' were 'saddening'.
He wrote in a post on X: 'Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath.
'Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.'
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson visited the area, according to the BBC, but did not take questions from media.
Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of each of those killed in the crash.
The company said it would also cover the medical costs of the injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college.
Air India has set up friends and relatives assistance centres at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad airports to provide support in the wake of AI171's crash.
'These centres are facilitating the travel of family members to Ahmedabad,' the airline said in a post on X.
UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.
US transportation secretary Sean Duffy confirmed US teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board were also heading to India with support from Boeing and GE Aerospace.
He told reporters it was 'way too premature' to ground Boeing 787s in the aftermath of the crash.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie cricket star David Warner has vowed to NEVER fly with Air India again after plane crash disaster
Former Australian cricketer David Warner has vowed to never fly Air India against after the recent plane crash disaster that killed 274 people. On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner enroute from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in 274 fatalities, including 241 onboard and 33 on the ground. The aircraft lost stability at approximately 625 feet altitude and descended rapidly within a minute of departure, crashing into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College in the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad. The sole survivor, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was seated in seat 11A near an emergency exit and managed to escape the wreckage with injuries. Investigations are ongoing, with both black boxes recovered, one of which sustained minor damage. Preliminary reports suggest potential mechanical failures, with the aircraft's landing gear possibly still deployed during takeoff. Warner, who recently returned to Pakistan for the completion of the PSL, shared an alleged account from an ex-Air India crew person named Vivek that had been posted to social media. 'Hey! I'm an ex air india crew and this was a frequent aircraft that I'd fly,' the original post read. 'This aircraft has had issues for YEARS. Literally years. 'The crew, pilots, engineers, literally everyone has always mentioned about it in the log book. 'But the company didn't have a spare Dreamliner for their most precious Gatwick sector. Which is why we were always made to fly this aircraft. 'I've myself had an engine failure on this aircraft. Thankfully we landed back safely. 'It was a similar case where we took off and immediately landed back without being in air for even 30 mins. 'Here, no staff but solely the company is at fault. But the company won't let any staff talk about it on a public channel. They'd rather blame the staff and not take accountability.' Warner has had issues with Air India before, posting this complaint to social media in March Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the information in this post is factual or that Air India is at fault for the tragedy. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered enhanced maintenance checks on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet. However Warner shared the post with the caption: 'If this is true it's absolutely shocking. Thoughts go out to all the families.' He tagged the post with @airindia and also wrote that he would not continue to fly with the Indian airline. 'I would never fly @airindia ever again after this and my last interaction with them,' Warner posted. The previous incident Warner is referring to happened in March, when he and hundreds of other passengers were forced to wait in an Air India plane that did not have any pilots. 'We've boarded an aircraft without any pilots and have been waiting for hours. Given that you don't have any pilots for the aircraft, why would you still board passengers? Warner posted to X at the time. Air India addressed the issue in a social media response at the time. Ambulances are seen parked near the post-mortem room at a hospital before transferring victims' dead bodies to a mortuary in Ahmedabad 'Departure was delayed because the crew running your flight was delayed on a previous assignment that was impacted by these problems. Thank you for choosing to fly with us, and we appreciate your patience,' Air India said on X. Warner also shared footage of United States Senator Josh Hawley who recently grilled the Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun over 737 safety hazards. '@Boeing another plane gone down. Innocent lives lost, sack people to make profit for their executives. Disgraceful,' Warner posted as the caption. Air India is co-operating with authorities in the wake of the tragedy. 'Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones,' it said in a statement. 'A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.' In a separate statement, Boeing said: 'We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.' Warner became one of the most successful overseas players in history in the Indian Premier League and is a local favourite. UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly… — Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025 A statement from Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg on Air India Flight 171. Full statement: — Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) June 12, 2025 Over 176 matches, he scored 6397 runs at an average of 41.54 and a strike rate of 139.91. He notched up four centuries and 61 fifties, and claimed the Orange Cap as the league's leading running scorer three times - in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Warner also captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to their only IPL title in 2016. The left-hander is also the fourth highest run-scorer in the league's history, behind only Indian legends Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Warner went unsold in the most recent IPL auction and played in the Pakistan Super League instead. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
NHS pays tribute to 'dedicated' doctor and family who died in plane crash
Dr Prateek Joshi was flying back to the UK with his wife Komi Vyas and their three children on the doomed Air India plane after they planned to settle down in the East Midlands In an emotional tribute University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and the NHS have shared their "deep sadness" following the tragic death of Dr Prateek Joshi and his family in the Air India plane crash this week. There were among the 242 passengers and crew on board, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Brits, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. Harrowing stories of the dead continued to emerge on Friday - including more tributes for Dr Joshi and his family who posted a selfie of them innocently smiling after boarding the Boeing 787 plane before it took off. Dr Joshi, 43, worked as a consultant radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Hospital Burton for four years, after moving to Derby from India in 2021. He was flying back to the UK with his wife Komi Vyas – a fellow doctor - their daughter Miraya, eight, and twin sons, Pradyut and Nakul, five, who planned to settle down in the East Midlands. The NHS has released a new tribute to the doctor and his family on Friday. Dr Rajeev Singh, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Director for Imaging at UHDB, who knew the family well has shared some words which truly capture the person Prateek was. Dr Singh said: "Prateek was full of joy, he was a wonderful man, friend, husband and father, and an exceptional Radiologist who was highly respected in his field. He approached everything with a smile, radiated positivity and had a great sense of humour. "He moved to Derby, from India, in 2021, quickly becoming a beloved colleague. He often entertained colleagues with stories about his passions outside of work, including his newly discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District. "He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many. "It is hard to accept that a man with such a passion for life, and his beautiful young family, have been taken in this way. His passing has left a profound void, not only in his professional contributions but in the warmth and spirit that he gave to the world every day." Royal Derby Hospital described Dr Joshi as 'not only an excellent doctor for whom nothing was too much trouble, but also a warm, smiling and kind man who was a hugely liked and valued member of the team'. Stephen Posey, Chief Executive, added: "We are profoundly and deeply saddened at the loss of our dedicated and talented colleague, Dr Prateek Joshi and his family. Prateek was not only an excellent doctor for whom nothing was too much trouble, but also a warm, smiling and kind man who was a hugely liked and valued member of the team. "We are privileged that Prateek chose to give his skills, talent and knowledge to the NHS, and he will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him." The NHS statement concluded: "Our thoughts are with Dr Joshi's family, friends and colleagues, and everyone who has been impacted by this tragedy, which is being felt across the world and within our local communities."
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Family of young couple killed in Air India crash speak of their loss
Zaheera Nanabawa said Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa would be missed 'tremendously'. Mr Nanabawa ran a recruitment firm while his wife volunteered at a local Islamic school in Gloucester where they lived. Speaking with other family members, Ms Nanabawa said her cousin was the 'glue' that held their family together. 'We'd often have fun at games nights and even when the older ones of us were not there Akeel would make a lot of efforts to engage with the young people in the family,' she said. 'They were away as part of their trip to Singapore and Malaysia, before they went to India, and we had two family events and we all really missed them there. 'We could kind of feel the lack of their presence. 'This whole news is absolutely shocking and devastating for us, and it will leave a hole within our family, but we are together and with each other where we can kind of console each other. 'They were so young in terms of their age and they were lifted together. They are going to be sorely, sorely missed. 'But we feel that their legacy is really going to live on.' Ms Nanabawa thanked the many people who had offered messages of condolences since the news of Thursday's Air India crash. 'As Muslims we pray a lot and we were thinking about what type of prayers they made,' she said. 'That they were lifted together from this realm at the same time, there is a lot of comfort in that. 'We are going to miss them tremendously but hopefully they're together. 'That does give us a lot of peace because they were so closely knit together as a family. 'If Akeel had survived or one of the others had survived without the others it would have been devastating. 'We do feel that there is a peace with them being lifted together.' Ms Nanabawa spoke of the couple's generosity with their time and would help anyone in need. 'Akeel would give his heart out to anybody at any time for anything,' she said. 'If you wanted something he would be there. He would constantly be just trying to give you things, whether it be a phone number to somebody that can help you with your car or dentist abroad. 'We believe this is part of their giving in this world and may they recoup in the hereafter.' She added: 'We're all just absolutely totally in shock. 'But seeing people coming to the family home, seeing the messages of condolences, finding out the things that we didn't even know that they were involved in that they were doing, we hope will continue to bring them benefit. 'As a family and as a community we've been inundated with lots and lots and lots of messages. 'We know the impact of this is going to be far-reaching and far wide and we thank the wider community for their messages of support. 'It's an opportunity for people to look at their own lives and reflect and just think about the wide meaning of life.'
