Moments after take-off, tragedy struck an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, when the aircraft crashed and burst into flames, killing several and leaving dozens injured. On Thursday, the jet carrying 242 people, including crew, lifted off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 PM and plummeted within minutes.
Among the survivors is 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national who sustained serious injuries and is currently recovering in the general ward of Civil Hospital, Asarwa. Still visibly shaken, he recounted the terrifying ordeal:
“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” he said, nursing injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet.
Vishwash, who has been living in London for two decades, had come to India to visit family and was returning to the UK with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who was seated elsewhere on the plane.
“We visited Diu. He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he pleaded, still clutching his boarding pass.
After the crash, Vishwash awoke surrounded by debris and lifeless bodies.
“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.”
According to Air India, of the 230 passengers onboard, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Meanwhile, the Civil Hospital has become a gathering point for desperate relatives searching for loved ones. Among them are associates of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was also aboard the ill-fated flight. Sailesh Mandliya, a close aide of Rupani, was seen at the hospital, attempting to get updates.
Authorities are yet to confirm the official number of casualties. Rescue and identification efforts are ongoing, with hospital staff and emergency teams working round the clock.
Sources By Agencies
