British Survivor of Air India Crash Discharged from Hospital
A British man, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, aged 40, has been released from the hospital following his miraculous survival in the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The airline confirmed his discharge while expressing deep condolences for the loss of passengers and crew on Flight AI171.
Ramesh was one of 241 individuals who lost their lives in the accident, which also claimed the lives of at least 30 people on the ground when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner collided with a medical college hostel shortly after taking off from Gujarat’s airport on Thursday. Among the deceased was Ramesh’s brother, Ajay, whose funeral he attended as a pallbearer in western India.
In an official statement, Air India shared its sorrow over the tragic event and is actively communicating with the families of the victims, including 52 British nationals. The airline is also facilitating the repatriation of the deceased to the UK and other countries. They noted, "The sole survivor of the accident, also a British national, has been discharged from hospital." The airline emphasized its commitment to cooperating with ongoing investigations and will provide verified updates as they become available.
Flight AI171 was en route to Gatwick and carried a diverse group of passengers, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, alongside 12 crew members. Ramesh, seated in 11A near the emergency exit, recounted his harrowing escape, stating that he managed to jump out of the emergency door.
As families await the identification of their loved ones, medical teams are working diligently to gather dental samples and perform DNA profiling. Air India and the Indian government are currently investigating various factors related to the crash, including engine thrust, flaps, and the extended landing gear at takeoff.
The crucial cockpit voice and flight data recorders, known as black boxes, have been recovered, and their analysis will play a significant role in the investigation, which will involve air accident investigators from both the UK and the US. India’s aviation safety watchdog has requested the training records of the involved pilots and dispatchers, while inspections of Air India’s 787 fleet have not revealed any major issues.
Although no definitive cause for the crash has been established, Indian officials have raised concerns regarding recent maintenance issues reported by the airline and have urged strict adherence to safety regulations.
Stay tuned for more updates as this tragic story unfolds.
