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A 40-year-old British-Indian from London, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is believed to be the only known survivor of the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash that occurred Monday morning near Ahmedabad Airport.
Initial reports indicated that at least 40 people had died in the accident. A subsequent update raised the estimated death toll, with over 200 passengers confirmed dead.
The latest information from local authorities in Ahmedabad confirms that at least one individual, Ramesh, survived the crash.
Ramesh had been visiting family in Ahmedabad and was on his return journey to London when the aircraft went down shortly after take-off.
He sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Read Also: Plane Carrying 20 Passengers Crash Lands In The U.S
Speaking from his hospital bed to the Hindustan Times, Ramesh recounted the horrifying moments leading up to the crash:
“About thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud bang, and everything just fell apart. It happened so fast. When I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by bodies. I panicked and started running. Debris was everywhere. Someone pulled me out and rushed me to an ambulance.”
The London-bound flight, carrying 242 people, lost contact with air traffic control moments after departure.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the last recorded signal from the aircraft came when it was at an altitude of just 625 feet (190 metres).
The plane crashed into a densely populated residential area housing medical staff, triggering a massive fireball and widespread devastation on the ground.
In other news, A plane carrying 20 people crashed in the US state of Tennessee on Sunday, with some on board taken to hospital for injuries, according to state and federal officials.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said on X that its troopers were assisting police “at the scene of a plane crash on Old Shelbyville Road” in the central Coffee County.
“Some have been airlifted to nearby hospitals. This is an active scene,” it said, adding that more updates would follow.
