Latest news with #Vishwash
The Star
5 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Sole survivor tells of miraculous escape
The man who cheated death: Vishwash (right) getting a visit from Modi at a hospital in Ahmedabad. — AFP The lone survivor of 242 people aboard a London-bound passenger plane that crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad said even he was struggling to explain how he miraculously walked out alive from the fireball explosion. 'Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn't believe how I managed to come out alive from that,' British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said from his hospital bed yesterday, speaking in Hindi to national broadcaster DD News. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane, which was full of fuel as it took off for a long-haul flight to London, exploded into a burst of orange flame on Thursday afternoon just after taking off. Vishwash – who was in seat 11A according to media reports – was the only one aboard the plane not to be killed, with at least 24 others killed on the ground. His brother was also on the same flight, his family in Britain told reporters. 'Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly... it felt like something got stuck... I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane's green and white lights turned on,' Vishwash said. 'After that, the plane seemed to speed up, heading straight towards what turned out to be a hostel of a hospital. Everything was visible in front of my eyes when the crash happened.' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Vishwash at the hospital where he is being treated for burns and other injuries, footage on his YouTube channel showed. Vishwash, 40, is from Leicester, according to Britain's Press Association news agency, which spoke with his family at home. The plane smashed into the buildings just outside the perimeter of the airport. 'Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive. 'I saw the air hostess and aunties and uncles all in front of me,' he said, his voice trailing off in emotion, using a term of respect used in India for older people. 'I unfastened my seatbelt and tried to escape, and I did. 'I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel,' he added. 'Where I landed was closer to the ground and there was space too, and when my door broke, I saw that there was space and I thought I could try to slip out.' Videos shared on social media showed Vishwash soon after, dressed in a bloodied T-shirt and limping towards an ambulance. 'My left hand got slightly burnt due to the fire, but an ambulance brought me to the hospital,' he said. 'The people here are taking good care of me.' — AFP
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Bhagavad Gita found in near-mint condition from Air India plane crash debris
Social media is abuzz with a 'miracle' that came to light in the aftermath of the deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed at least 260 people – an almost-intact hard copy of the religious text, the Bhagavad Gita. The holy book remained mostly undamaged despite the intense heat and burning fuel. Follow Ahmedabad plane crash live updates Air India's Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner (AI171), carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed into BJ Medical College's doctors' hostel in the Meghani Nagar area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Of the 242 onboard the aircraft, which went up in flames within minutes of take-off, only one survivor remained. Among the victims of the tragic air crash was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Since the crash took place in a residential area, several parts of Boeing's debris were found near the hostel and other infrastructures there. A copy of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text, also survived the fatal tragedy. Several videos of the book being found in the debris went viral on social media, with clips shared by some journalists confirming the same. A man was seen flipping the pages of the Holy scripture, showing it to the people at the crash site, who were also filming the Bhagavad Gita. According to the visuals, while some minor damage was visible on the holy book's cover, the written text and images on the pages inside seemed to be quite intact. Radharamn Das, vice president and spokesperson of Iskcon Kolkata, shared the video on X and said, "Amid the fiery #planecrash, a copy of the Bhagavad Gita was found untouched. One soul miraculously survived with minor bruises. Another girl, who missed the flight by just 10 minutes, was arguing with staff to allow her to board the ill-fated flight." Another user on the microblogging platform wrote, "Miracle amidst tragedy: Bhagavad Gita remains undamaged and intact after the plane crash." Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated on seat 11A of the Dreamliner, is the only survivor of the Air India crash. Ramesh is a 40-year-old British national who was visiting family in India. 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,' Vishwash told HT. He said when he got up, there were bodies all around him. "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," he added. Vishwas, who suffered injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, is currently receiving treatment at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital, Asarwa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the plane crash site in Ahmedabad, met the lone survivor, Vishwash and the injured victims at the hospital there. Following his visit, the prime minister expressed deep grief and wrote on X, 'We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. Condolences to all the bereaved families. We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come. Om Shanti.'
Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Tiny detail in Brit sole survivor's gripping recollection of how doomed Air India jet went down may help solve mystery
THE death-cheating Brit sole survivor of the Air India disaster has revealed a clue something was wrong just moments before the crash. Vishwash Ramesh, 40, said the cabin lights began flickering before the jet sank through the air - a detail which could help solve the mystery of the catastrophe. 7 Vishwash Ramesh in hospital, visited by Indian PM Narendra Modi Credit: AFP 7 The Brit staggered away from the wreckage relatively unscathed Credit: Twitter 7 Investigators are scrambling to figure out what went so wrong with the plane Credit: Reuters Recalling the moments before tragedy, Vishwash, from Leicester, 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. "The aircraft wasn't gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded." Vishwash's flickering lights revelation comes after a passenger, who took the plane the day before the crash, claimed electrical parts such as the back-of-seat screens weren't working. read more on the disaster CRASH RIDDLE What caused Air India plane crash? 6 theories from landing gear to 40C weather Aviation experts have speculated that the reports of dodgy electrics could be a sign of a power failure, possibly explaining the crash. Air India is keeping an open mind as to what went wrong and caused the deaths of 52 Brits. Theories being considered include issues with the engine thrust, flaps and landing gear - as well as a bird strike and a pilot error. And the Indian government's investigation is also considering whether Air India was at fault in any way. India's aviation regulator had recently ordered the airline to safety check its entire Boeing 787 fleet. Vishwash is the only person who can provide an insider's witness account of the moment - and previously said he has "no idea" how he survived. 'I opened my eyes & slipped out'…Brit sole survivor of Air India crash details escape 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 lucky escapee speculated: 'I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel. I don't know about others." Other analysts have suggested he managed to escape thanks to a flying piece of fuselage - which was caught soaring through the air on video. Vishwash's seat was 11A, right next to the emergency door, which is understood to have blown off when the plane struck the building and then exploded. 7 Government officials beneath the tail of the plane, which remains wedged in a building Credit: EPA 7 Vishwash's boarding pass shows that he sat in seat 11A Credit: HT Photo In the unbelievable footage, a tiny object is seen flying away for a split second - right before the jet is engulfed in flames. Investigators continue to analyse the footage and search for the mystery piece of debris as they try to find out what caused the horror crash. Recalling the moment of disbelief when he found himself alive, Vishwash said: "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." 7 Vishwash's brother, Nayankumar Ramesh, said the survivor had phone home to say he was 'fine' Credit: ITV 7 Luggage of the passengers lies in a pile at the crash site Credit: EPA "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." Vishwash that the plane caught fire before he fought through the rubble - and then exploded when he was just out of harm's way. Footage shows Vishwash, staggering and caked in blood with locals helping him an ambulance. Speaking in Hindi, he says: "I just got out of the plane, it exploded." From there he was rushed to hospital, and has since heaped praise on the medical staff treating him. He said: 'My treatment is going well, and the people are very supportive.' Vishwash's brother Ajay was onboard the plane and died.
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Tiny detail in Brit sole survivor's gripping recollection of how doomed Air India jet went down may help solve mystery
THE death-cheating Brit sole survivor of the Air India disaster has revealed a clue something was wrong just moments before the crash. Vishwash Ramesh, 40, said the cabin lights began flickering before the jet sank through the air - a detail which could help solve the Advertisement 7 Vishwash Ramesh in hospital, visited by Indian PM Narendra Modi Credit: AFP 7 The Brit staggered away from the wreckage relatively unscathed Credit: Twitter 7 Investigators are scrambling to figure out what went so wrong with the plane Credit: Reuters Recalling "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." Vishwash's flickering lights revelation comes after a passenger, who took the plane the day before the crash, claimed electrical parts such as the back-of-seat screens weren't working. Advertisement read more on the disaster Aviation experts have speculated that the reports of dodgy electrics could be a sign of a power failure, possibly explaining the crash. Air India is keeping an open mind as to what went wrong and caused Theories being considered include issues with the engine thrust, flaps and landing gear - as well as a bird strike and a pilot error. And the Indian government's investigation is also considering whether Air India was at fault in any way. Advertisement Most read in The Sun India's aviation regulator had recently ordered the airline to safety check its entire Boeing 787 fleet. Vishwash is the only person who can provide an insider's witness account of the moment - and previously said he has "no idea" how he survived. 'I opened my eyes & slipped out'…Brit sole survivor of Air India crash details escape 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 lucky escapee speculated: 'I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel. I don't know about others." Advertisement Other analysts have suggested he managed to escape thanks to a Vishwash's seat was 11A, right next to the emergency door, which is understood to have blown off when the plane struck the building and then . 7 Government officials beneath the tail of the plane, which remains wedged in a building Credit: EPA 7 Vishwash's boarding pass shows that he sat in seat 11A Credit: HT Photo Advertisement In the unbelievable footage, a tiny object is seen flying away for a split second - right before the jet is engulfed in flames. Investigators continue to analyse the footage and search for the mystery piece of debris as they try to find out what caused the horror crash. Recalling the moment of disbelief when he found himself alive, Vishwash said: "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." Advertisement 7 Vishwash's brother, Nayankumar Ramesh, said the survivor had phone home to say he was 'fine' Credit: ITV 7 Luggage of the passengers lies in a pile at the crash site Credit: EPA "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." Advertisement Vishwash that the plane caught fire before he fought through the rubble - and then exploded when he was just out of harm's way. Footage shows Vishwash, staggering and caked in blood with locals helping him an ambulance. Speaking in Hindi, he says: "I just got out of the plane, it exploded." From there he was rushed to hospital, and has since heaped praise on the medical staff treating him. Advertisement He said: 'My treatment is going well, and the people are very supportive.' Vishwash's brother Ajay was onboard the plane and died.
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Girl left ‘tasting jet fuel' in ocean & horror 2-mile fall – miraculous plane crash survivors…& why guilt haunts victims
SOMETIMES, in the midst of disaster, miracles happen. Just moments after taking off, 13 Vishwash Ramesh is the lone survivor of the devastating Air India crash that happened yesterday Credit: HT Photo 13 The flight, bound for the UK, came crashing down into buildings shortly after take-off Credit: Getty 13 Footage captured the terrifying moment the Air India flight crashed into the ground Credit: x/nchorAnandN 13 It was initially thought all 242 on board had been killed Credit: Twitter Astonishing footage showed Brit He was even able to produce his boarding pass before being whisked off to hospital, where he is being treated for minor injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet. Given the scale of disaster when plane crashes happen, it is very rare only There are only a handful of people who can say they were lucky enough to be the sole survivor. But many are left with scars - both physical and mental - traumatised by memories of plummeting from the sky, and haunted by the sudden loss of their family members. Speaking to the media shortly after his miraculous survival was confirmed, Vishwash said: '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. " Dr Marianne Trent, clinical psychologist and author of the Grief Collection, said Vishwash is likely to suffer from survivors guilt. She said: "There's no real sense why that should have been the one seat where the sole survivor sat. "People often swap seats on planes and he might have a sense of 'why me?'" Brit survivor WALKS AWAY unscathed from Air India plane crash after jumping from flaming jet 'America's Orphan' Vishwash isn't the only person to have walked away from a plane crash, losing family members in the process. At just four years old, Cecelia Crocker became the sole survivor when Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just moments after taking off from Detroit, in 1987. The other 154 people on board were killed, as were two people on the ground. But Cecelia Crocker survived - becoming known as 'America's Orphan'. "I think about the accident every day," said Crocker, now 42. "It's kind of hard not to think about it when I look in the mirror. I have visual scars, my arms and my legs and I have scars on my forehead." 13 At just four years old, Cecelia Crocker was the only survivor in a 1987 plane crash in which she lost all her family Credit: Sole Survivor 13 It is believed Cecelia's mum shielded her during the crash Credit: Sole Survivor 13 Cecelia in the hospital as a four-year-old after the crash Credit: AP Though Cecelia doesn't remember the incident herself, her mum, dad, and six-year-old brother David were all killed. It is believed that Cecelia's mum, Paula, shielded her. "When I realised I was the only person to survive that plane crash, I was maybe in middle school, high school maybe," Crocker said. "Being an adolescent and confused, so it was just extra stress for me. I remember feeling angry and survivor's guilt. Why didn't my brother survive? Why didn't anybody? Why me?" Dr Trent added that these feelings can linger on for years and affect every aspect of their lives. "You might not feel worthy of people's good thoughts and sympathy because you're not the one who died,' she said. There's a black hole between the moment when I was seated in the plane and the moment I found myself in the water Bahia Bakari "People with survivor's guilt withdraw into themselves, their world becomes smaller, there's an impact on their functioning, their ability to get things done.' Clinging for life Back in 2009, a Yemenia Airways flight plummeted into the Indian Ocean with its engines at full throttle. All 152 on board were killed - except 12-year-old She was left drifting in the water for hours with 'the taste of jet fuel' in her mouth, and only a piece of debris to cling on to. Speaking to a French court, she recalled the moment things started to go wrong. 'I started to feel the turbulence but nobody was reacting much, so I told myself it must be normal,' said Bahia. 'I felt something like an electric shock go through my body. There's a black hole between the moment when I was seated in the plane and the moment I found myself in the water.' 13 Bahia Bakari miraculously survived by clinging onto wreckage when she was aged just 12 Credit: AFP 13 The Yemenia Airways flight plummeted into the Indian Ocean Credit: AFP 13 Bahia spoke out about her experience for the first time in a French courtroom Credit: AP She remembers trying to climb up on to the wreckage, but lacked the strength to do so in the choppy waters. It was only in the hospital that she was told she was the lone survivor. Jungle fall Others who survived found themselves not in the water but in thick jungle - yet just as far from civilisation as anyone stuck in the ocean. Aged just 17, she survived not only a two-mile fall to the ground but a ten day trek through the Amazon. After flying into a dark cloud, her plane became engulfed by lightning, she recalled. I was in freefall. I could see the canopy of the jungle spinning towards me Juliane Koepcke 'My mother and I held hands but we were unable to speak. Other passengers began to cry and weep and scream,' she told the BBC. 'My mother said very calmly: 'That is the end, it's all over'. Those were the last words I ever heard from her. 'The plane jumped down and went into a nose-dive,' added Juliane. 'It was pitch black and people were screaming, then the deep roaring of the engines filled my head completely. 'Suddenly the noise stopped and I was outside the plane. I was in freefall. I could see the canopy of the Alone with a broken collarbone and deep cuts to her legs, and wearing only a short, sleeveless mini-dress and white sandals, she began to walk. 13 Juliane Koepcke trekked through the Amazon for ten days aged just 17 13 Annette Herfkens spent eight days in the Vietnamese jungle after her plane hit a mountain ridge Credit: Refer to Caption 13 Jim Polehinke was the only survivor of the 2006 Comair crash - in which he was co-pilot Credit: YouTube Only a small bag of sweets kept her from total starvation. Initially thinking she was hallucinating, Juliane came across a boat and a hut where she spent the night, pulling maggots out of a wound in her upper arm, before finally a group of men found her the next day and took her back to civilisation. Broken bones and collapsed lung Juliane's story has parallels to that of Annette Herfkens, who, aged 31, spent eight days in the Vietnamese jungle by herself awaiting rescue. After Vietnam Airlines flight 474 dropped from the sky in 1992, killing the other 30 people on board, Annette was left with twelve broken bones, her jaw hanging off and a collapsed lung. How miracle Brit may face mental battle THOUGH lucky to be alive, Brit Vishwash Kumar Ramesh may struggle with the mental impact of yesterday's Air India crash for decades, Dr Marianne Trent, clinical psychologist, told The Sun. "Post trauma people often struggle to sleep, have intrusive thoughts and there will be triggers such as noises and smells of the fire, the smoke, booking future holidays," she said. "All those stories of the people he met along the way, or maybe those he didn't take the time to talk to, will be replaying in his mind. He will be second guessing everything he did." Dr Trent said he may even feel guilt that he walked away with minor injuries. She said: "He may just feel grateful to survive and have walked away but it's very strange that only one person survived. "We need to allow him to feel what he's feeling. Survivors of fatal car crashes who escaped with minor injuries might wish they'd broken a leg or had something physical to show for their life changing experience. "They might ask 'why don't I look different.. How can I look like the same person?' It's harder for people to empathise if you look the same way too." Dr Trent added that memories of his brother might be forever entwined with the horror of the crash. "His experience will be overlapped by grief and trauma. "Usually if you think of a brother there are thoughts about songs you might have heard growing up together, or things you did, nice memories. "But when someone dies the whole relationship changes and those thoughts can make you feel really awful and send you right down into the depths again. "The fact this is all being played out on an international stage will also be extremely hard for him and he will need a lot of psychological help to come to terms with what has happened." Her plane had crashed into a mountain ridge and she now lay surrounded by the ripped-apart fuselage, with a dead stranger across her. 'That's where you have fight or flight - I definitely chose flight,' she told the Guardian. 'I stayed in the moment. I trusted that they were going to find me. I didn't think, 'What if a tiger comes?' I thought, 'I'll deal with it when the tiger comes.' I didn't think, 'What if I die?' I thought, 'I will see about it when I die.'' Crawling along by her elbows, she managed to capture water with parts of the plane's insulation until a rescue party carried her down in a hammock. Self-harm pain In all these cases, only one passenger made it out alive. But when the plane's pilot is the sole person spared death, the feelings of survivor's guilt can be even worse. The bad voice says, 'No, stay here, have another shot of liquor' Jim Polehinke Jim Polehinke was co-pilot aboard Com Air flight 5191, which crashed seconds after takeoff from Lexington, Kentucky in 2006. 'I've cried harder than any man has ever cried, or any man should be able to cry,' he said. 'My wife was there to support me to where I could just put my head on her shoulder and cry. 'It's that constant struggle where my inner voice wants to keep going forward. "The good voice says, 'Yeah, come on, you have the inner strength to do that,' but the bad voice says, 'No, stay here, have another shot of liquor.'' Dr Trent also highlighted how harmful behaviours can become a crutch for people to deal with survivor's guilt. She said: "Sometimes people become a risk to themselves through non intentional self injury, drinking too much, not showing and looking after themselves, taking recreational drugs to cope.'
