Sarah 
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787–8 Dreamliner, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at roughly 1:38 PM IST. The aircraft with more than 240 passengers and 12 crew members was en route to London Gatwick.
The aircraft started losing altitude, instead of climbing, after just 30 seconds of flight to its altitude of approximately 625 feet. The aircraft crashed into a hostel block at B. J. Medical College, which was located near the airport. The aircraft broke up in the air and erupted in flames, sending debris and smoke into the surrounding residential area.
It was a horrendous and shocking event, resulting in the loss of many lives, leaving families devastated. Families are still grieving. But amid such tremendous sorrow, there is the story of one man with a miracle surrounding him. His name is Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. He is now known as “The Only Survivor of the Ahmedabad Plane Crash.”
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is a 40 year old British national of Indian descent. He occupied seat 11A, an exit-row seat, with a window and an emergency exit. While the reasons for his survival will be debated, his position in the exit row must have been a major factor.
He jumped from the plane when it broke in the air. Ramesh mentioned that immediately after the plane had taken off, it started going down and suddenly broke into two, throwing him out before a large explosion.
He said that he saw bodies and parts of the plane all over the crash area.
“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran,”
Though disoriented and limping, he got onto neighboring roads and was taken to a hospital by ambulance at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad with Dr. Dhaval Gameti, stating Vishwas was stable and out of imminent danger.
He had injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, but thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening.
Vishwas is originally from India, but is now living in the UK, not far from Leicester, with his wife and child. He was traveling on the flight with his brother, Ajay, who sadly did not make it.
Soon after the crash, Vishwas made a video call or phone call to reassure his family that he was alive. Vishwas Kumar Ramesh has become a symbol of survival and belief.
The Ahmedabad plane crash is one of the worst aviation tragedies in recent Indian aviation history. While the nation mourns the many lives lost, the survival of Vishwas Kumar Ramesh provides us with a small glimmer of light amidst the darkness. Vishwash’s story is a reminder that sometimes, miracles can happen, even when it seems impossible.
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