In a devastating incident that shook the nation, an Air India plane crash claimed the lives of over 240 individuals, marking it as one of the worst aviation disasters in a decade. The sole survivor, Ramesh Viswashkumar, shared his harrowing experience of escaping from the wreckage after the aircraft collided with a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad.
Ramesh Viswashkumar, who was seated in seat 11A near the emergency exit, described how he managed to escape through a broken hatch after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff. Eyewitness footage captured the moment, showing Viswashkumar limping on the street, covered in blood and sporting bruises on his face.
"I don't believe how I survived," the 40-year-old British national of Indian origin expressed during an interview with DD News from his hospital bed. "For some time, I thought I was also going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive and tried to unbuckle myself from the seat to escape."
According to police reports, several individuals in the hostel and on the ground were also tragically killed during the incident. Rescue workers tirelessly searched through the charred remnants of the hostel for missing persons and aircraft parts. Viswashkumar recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the crash, stating, "The plane seemed to come to a standstill in midair shortly after takeoff, with the cabin lights turning on. I felt the engine thrust increase, but then the plane crashed into the hostel."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to his home state of Gujarat to visit the crash site and meet with Viswashkumar in the hospital. Thankfully, doctors reported that he did not suffer any major injuries, aside from burn wounds on his left arm. "The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft," Viswashkumar explained. "When my door broke, I tried to escape through it, and I did. The opposite side of the aircraft was blocked by the building wall, so nobody could have come out from there."
Viswashkumar's extraordinary survival story amidst such tragedy serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. As investigations into the crash continue, the nation mourns the loss of lives while also reflecting on the miraculous escape of its sole survivor.
