As distraught families gathered at the Civil Hospital in Asarwa, Ahmedabad, in search of their loved ones who were aboard the ill-fated Air India flight, one survivor, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, lay recovering in a general ward bed, nursing multiple injuries. Vishwash recounted the terrifying moments that unfolded barely half a minute after takeoff.
"Just thirty seconds after the plane took off, there was a loud noise—then everything went dark. The crash happened so fast," he said, describing how he sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet from the impact.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom, took off from Ahmedabad at 1:39 pm on Thursday with 242 people on board, including crew members. Within minutes, the aircraft crashed and burst into flames, sending shockwaves across the country.
Air India later confirmed that the passenger manifest included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. Vishwash, a British national who has lived in London for 20 years with his wife and child, had returned to India briefly to visit his family. He was flying back to the UK along with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh.
Clutching his boarding pass from the flight, Vishwash described the moment he regained consciousness. "When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by bodies. I was terrified. I got up and just ran. Debris from the aircraft was everywhere. Someone caught hold of me and put me in an ambulance. That’s how I ended up in the hospital," he said.
He also revealed that Ajay had been seated in a different row on the aircraft. "We had travelled together to Diu, and now I can’t find him. Please help me find my brother," he pleaded.
Meanwhile, the corridors of the hospital echoed with the desperate cries and anxious inquiries of relatives searching for passengers from the doomed flight. Among them were the family members of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was also listed as a passenger on the flight.
Sailesh Mandliya, a former aide of Rupani, was seen moving from ward to ward. "We are looking for him. If you find out something, please let me know," he said, reflecting the helplessness shared by many at the hospital. As search and rescue teams combed the crash site and medical staff treated survivors, the country awaited clarity on the full extent of the tragedy.
Also Read: Ahmedabad plane crash: MAYDAY to Black Box, key details
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