Air India crash: 1 survivor on plane, a British-Indian man, apparently walked away from crash

A man on board the ill-fated Air India flight AI171 that crashed on Jun. 12 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, apparently walked away from the wreckage and survived without sustaining life-threatening injuries.

His miraculous survival story was first reported widely by India media, and subsequently confirmed by the Associated Press (AP).

Jumped out of plane

India media reported that the lone survivor purportedly jumped from the aircraft at the last moment.

He was identified as Ramesh Vishwaskumar Bucharvada by a doctor, according to AP.

British national

The British national was reportedly assigned seat 11A, which was located right behind an emergency exit of the plane.

“He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body,” a doctor in India, Dhaval Gameti told AP. “But he seems to be out of danger.”

AP updated its developing story by confirming that India home minister Amit Shah confirmed that a single passenger survived the crash and that he met him at the hospital.

While many India media initially identified Ramesh as 38 years old, Reuters reported that he is aged 40.

Video of survivor

A video apparently of the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash circulated widely on social media showed an injured man walking towards an ambulance.

He appeared to be limping.

Bystanders around the man were heard asking questions about the fate of the others on the plane.

The footage, which was shared by various India media, claimed that the man was the sole plane crash survivor.

Was visiting family in India

The Guardian further reported that the British-Indian man lives in London and was in Ahmedabad visiting family.

He said he had lived in London for the past 20 years and had travelled to India with his brother, who was also on the plane

Loud noise 30 seconds after takeoff

“Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Ramesh told Hindustan Times.

He said he sustained “impact injuries”, including bruising on his chest, eyes and feet, but was otherwise lucid and conscious.

Ramesh, who still had his boarding pass, also told Hindustan Times: "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."

The total death toll was still unconfirmed as at 1:45am Singapore time, but a police official confirmed that at least 240 were dead, as per AP.

Top photos via India media