The sole survivor of the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad has been identified as 40-year-old Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national who miraculously escaped the fiery wreck by leaping through an emergency exit, police confirmed Thursday.
The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff, claimed over 240 lives, including Canadian dentist Nirali Patel from Etobicoke, Ontario. Authorities say the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plunged into a residential area, striking a medical college hostel and killing at least five students on the ground.
Ramesh, who was traveling to London with his brother, was found disoriented and covered in injuries. From his hospital bed, he described waking up surrounded by bodies and wreckage before instinctively running for help. “I have no idea how I exited the plane,” he reportedly told relatives.
While Indian police initially reported no survivors, hospital staff confirmed Ramesh was stabilized and “out of danger.”
The cause of the crash remains unknown. Investigators from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch are en route, as the plane’s black boxes are expected to hold critical data. Experts suggest improper wing flap configurations may have contributed to the aircraft’s failure to gain lift.
This is the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since its debut in 2009. Boeing shares plunged following the news, days ahead of the Paris Air Show.
The international tragedy has drawn widespread condolences. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his devastation, while leaders including King Charles, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi offered their sympathies. British MP Shivani Raja confirmed multiple constituents were aboard the flight, calling for an investigation into recurring issues on the route.
Back home, community groups such as the Hindu Federation of Canada are holding memorial prayers. The crash has left families in India, Canada, the U.K., and Portugal grieving and awaiting the identification of victims—many of whom were burned beyond recognition.
DNA testing is now underway in Ahmedabad as India faces its worst air disaster in decades.