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Metro
16 hours ago
- General
- Metro
Sole survivor reveals what happened in final seconds before Air India crash
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The only survivor of the doomed Air India flight A171 has told local media that the lights onboard flickered before the fatal crash. 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh had been travelling back to the UK with his brother when the flight crashed just moments after takeoff. He said: '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 – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.' Follow Metro's blog for live coverage and updates from the Air India crash That establishment was a hostel for local medical students and interns. At least eight of them have been confirmed as dead, in addition to the 241 other passengers on the plane. 'When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren't able to,' he said. He added: 'I don't know how I survived. 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.' Vishwash's family in Leicester are anxiously awaiting news on his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who was in the seat next to Vishwash. Vishwash, who was sitting in seat 11a next to an emergency exit, said the section of the plane he was in landed on the ground, rather than hitting the roof of a building. Speaking outside the family home in Leicester, his brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, 27, said: 'We were just shocked as soon as we heard it. 'I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated.' Investigators are trying to find what caused the fatal plane crash, the deadliest aviation disaster in almost a decade. One of the plane's black boxes has been recovered, according to local media, but the second has not been located. The black boxes will provide vital data recorded of the pilot's movements, the plane's condition and more in the moments leading up to yesterday's disaster. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But questions have been raised about the safety of the aircraft after a video taken onboard the craft yesterday showed 'nothing working'. More Trending 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. British couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead. And 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. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ryanair shares warning over 'unfair' issue making holidaymakers miss their flights MORE: Passenger on Air India plane before it crashed shares video showing worrying defects MORE: Warning Boeing whistleblower made last year resurfaces after Air India crash
Irish Examiner
19 hours ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
'I saw people dying in front of my eyes' — British survivor describes Air India crash
The British survivor of the Air India plane crash has described the horror of watching people 'dying in front of my eyes'. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said he thought he was dead when the plane crashed into a building, before realising he was alive and escaping the wreckage. Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old told DD News the plane felt like it was 'stuck in the air' shortly after takeoff before lights began flickering green and white, adding: 'It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.' The Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college as it crashed in a fireball on Thursday, killing the other 241 people onboard. It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787. Ramesh said: 'I can't believe how I came out of it alive. For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too but when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can't believe how I survived.' Ramesh told the broadcaster: '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. At first, I thought I was dead. Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage. 'I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out. I don't know how I survived,' he said. '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.' The crash site was visited by the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Ramesh in hospital. At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured. There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise. Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash. A British couple, Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who ran a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead. The Gloucester Muslim Community group offered 'sincere and deepest condolences' after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa, and their four-year-old 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 'Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri' in his constituency. Aviation experts have speculated about the possible causes of the crash, from both engines failing — possibly due to a bird strike, as happened in the 'Miracle on the Hudson' in 2009 — to the flaps on the aircraft's wings not being set to the correct position for takeoff. The Air India chief executive, Campbell Wilson, visited the area, according to the BBC, but did not take questions from the media. — The Guardian Read More
The Sun
21 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Air India disaster LIVE: ‘Black box found' amid hunt for answers behind takeoff crash that killed 265 as victims named
INDIAN authorities have reportedly found one of the two black boxes as they continue to hunt for answers behind India's worst aviation tragedy. The doomed Air India flight crash killed at least 265 people, including those on board and locals on the ground. 8 8 8 8 Indian aviation authorities are said to have located one of the two black boxes - and it is now being safely guarded, Hindustan Times reports. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will now collect the equipment to analyse the recordings. Meanwhile, a tragic drip-feed of information has revealed more names of those among the 265 who died at the crash site in Ahmedabad. Among the Brits who died in the crash were two whole families of three and four, a mum-of-three with her grandson, a pair of sisters and a wellness business couple. A British family from Gloucester: recruitment consultant Akeel Nanabawa, 36, his wife Hannaa, 30, and their four-year-old daughter Sara, were killed. A Facebook post from the Gloucester Muslim Community said: "We are profoundly heartbroken by the devastating loss of life. During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind." Akeel was a keen amateur footballer and helped coach youngsters. Mum-of-three Raxa Modha, 55, of Wellingborough, Northants, and her two-year-old grandson, Rudra, also died on the flight. Wellingborough mayor Raj Mishra said: "May their memories be a blessing, and may we come together to support one another in this time of grief." Javed Ali Syed, a hotel manager at the Best Western Kensington Olympia Hotel, died alongside his wife, Mariam, and their two young children, Amani, four, and Zayn. Sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, from London, were in seats 17J and 17H when the plane came down, and had been in India for their grandmother's birthday. Brit couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who ran a wellness centre and appeared on ITV in January, were also aboard. Hours before the crash they posted on Instagram about their "mind-blowing" trip. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel shortly after take-off on Thursday morning. 8 8 8 8 Police have said that over 265 people were killed in the disaster, after locals on the ground were also crushed by the huge plane. Along with dozens of Brits, 169 Indian nationals, a Canadian and seven Portuguese travellers were also on board. The Dreamliner lost contact just seconds after take-off, according to flight tracking website Flightradar. A final alert was last logged less than a minute after it started the journey from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, only ever reaching an altitude of 625ft. Seconds before the crash, the Boeing was filmed flying low over the Meghani Nagar residential area before it disappeared behind buildings and a huge blast erupted. Thick plumes of black smoke could be seen pouring into the sky. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating." King Charles also said both he and Queen Camilla are 'desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning'. The US-built Boeing 787 is one of the world's most advanced airliners and the accident is the first fatal crash involving the plane.
Metro
a day ago
- General
- Metro
Sole survivor reveals what happens in final seconds before Air India plane crash
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The only survivor of the doomed Air India flight A171 has told local media that the lights onboard flickered before the fatal crash. 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh had been travelling back to the UK with his brother when the flight crashed just moments after takeoff. He said: '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 – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.' That establishment was a hostel for local medical students and interns. At least eight of them have been confirmed as dead, in addition to the 241 other passengers on the plane. 'When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren't able to,' he said. He added: 'I don't know how I survived. 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.' Vishwash's family in Leicester are anxiously awaiting news on his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who was in the seat next to Vishwash. Vishwash, who was sitting in seat 11a next to an emergency exit, said the section of the plane he was in landed on the ground, rather than hitting the roof of a building. Speaking outside the family home in Leicester, his brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, 27, said: 'We were just shocked as soon as we heard it. 'I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated.' Investigators are trying to find what caused the fatal plane crash, the deadliest aviation disaster in almost a decade. One of the plane's black boxes has been recovered, according to local media, but the second has not been located. The black boxes will provide vital data recorded of the pilot's movements, the plane's condition and more in the moments leading up to yesterday's disaster. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But questions have been raised about the safety of the aircraft after a video taken onboard the craft yesterday showed 'nothing working'. More Trending 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. British couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead. And 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. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Warning Boeing whistleblower made last year resurfaces after Air India crash MORE: I missed Air India flight by 10 minutes – my mind went numb MORE: Air India crash: Search for second black box continues after PM visits wreckage site
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
‘I saw people dying in front of my eyes' – lone Air India plane crash survivor
The 40-year-old told the broadcaster the plane felt like it was 'stuck in the air' shortly after take-off before lights began flickering green and white – adding: 'It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.' The Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college as it crashed in a fireball on Thursday, killing the other 241 people on board. It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787. Speaking to DD News about the crash, Mr Ramesh said: 'I can't believe how I came out of it alive. 'For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. 'But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. 'I still can't believe how I survived.' Mr Ramesh was in seat 11A, next to one of the aircraft's emergency exits. Addressing what happened before the incident, Mr Ramesh told the broadcaster: '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.' He added: 'At first, I thought I was dead. 'Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage. (PA Graphics) 'I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.' Commenting on his survival, Mr Ramesh said: 'I don't know how I survived. '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.' The crash site was visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Mr Ramesh in hospital. There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise. Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash. At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured. 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 four-year-old 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 'Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri' in his constituency. Narendra Modi inspects the site of the plane crash (Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X via AP/PA) Aviation experts have speculated about the possible causes of 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. 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. 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.
