Air India confirms only one survivor from 242 people on board Ahmedabad plane crash

12 June 2025, 20:31 | Updated: 12 June 2025, 21:11

Only one person survived the Flight 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, Air India confirmed.

Air India says 229 passengers and 12 crew died - adding that the sole survivor is receiving treatment in hospital.

The survivor is a British national of Indian origin.

"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 adds that it's "giving its full-co-operation to the authorities investigating this incident".

A British national has been named as the only survivor of an Air India plane carrying 242 people that crashed in the city of Ahmedabad today.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh told the Hindustan Times he heard a "loud noise" around 30 seconds after take-off before the plane plummeted to earth.

"It all happened so quickly," he said, adding he was left with "impact injuries."

"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."

Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, careened back to earth in the densely populated Meghani area of the city, hitting doctors’ accommodation and a student canteen minutes after leaving the runway at about 1pm local time.

'Devastated'

Pictures have emerged showing chunks of the plane's fuselage and tail protruding from a demolished building.

Police have confirmed more than 290 people, both in the plane and on the ground, were killed in the crash.

Mr Ramesh said he has lived in London 20 for years and was travelling with his brother at the time.

Video footage shared online showed a man walking around in the wreckage of the crash, although this has not been confirmed to be Mr Ramesh.

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."

"He said: 'I have no idea how I exited the plane'.”

Another of Mr Ramesh’s relatives, Jay, said the survivor spoke to his father after the crash and asked after his brother Ajay, who is believed to have also been on the plane.

Jay said: “After the crash he spoke to his dad worrying about his brother saying, ‘Where’s Ajay’?

“He’s got some injuries on his face. He was painted in blood. He was pretty much covered in blood, that’s what his dad said.

He added: “He’s doing well I think. It’s a big shock. I don’t have many words to describe the incident.”

Sky News reports it has spoken with Mr Ramesh's family, who say the miracle survivor's brother is still missing.

Footage purports to show sole survivor of Ahmedabad plane crash

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has opened a formal investigation into the crash.

Writing on X, India's civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said this is "in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)."

The government will have a committee of experts from multiple disciplines to investigate the crash.

Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed a team of British air accident investigators are travelling to Ahmedabad to assist.

Previously, police had reported that there were no survivors from the crash, but this appears to have been premature.

Among the dead were reportedly three Britons from Gloucester.

Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa and their daughter, Sara, were all killed in the crash.

A post on the Gloucester Muslim Community read: "Today, we are profoundly heartbroken by the devastating loss of life in the catastrophic crash of Flight AI171, travelling from Ahmedabad to London.

"During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind. No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world."

A pilot told LBC he believed it was a “tragic accident” and believed it was likely down to pilot error. An investigation is under way to establish the cause of the crash.

He said the 787 was a “phenomenal aeroplane” that was an “absolute dream to fly.”

“What we have to realise is errors, mistakes… can happen at any time and people are only human.”

“There is no single manufacturing process in the entire world which is flawless. Boeing will strive to do as much as they possibly can to iron out any errors.”

Reports of one survivor from Air India plane crash

Experts have said that looking at footage of the plane’s final moments it appeared it may have been on the wrong flap setting which could have led to the crash.

Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash.

The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the “building up” of the medical college the plane crashed into.