In one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff in the city of Ahmedabad on June 12, killing more than 240 people on board and on the ground. Remarkably, one man survived the horrific crash by jumping out of an emergency exit, according to police.
The survivor, 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar, a British national, had been seated near an emergency exit on the London-bound flight. Authorities say he leapt out as the aircraft broke apart, sustaining multiple injuries but ultimately surviving. From his hospital bed, Viswashkumar described waking up disoriented, surrounded by wreckage and bodies before fleeing the site. Doctors have confirmed that he is in stable condition and out of immediate danger.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 242 passengers and crew, including Canadian citizen Nirali Sureshkumar Patel, a dentist and mother from Etobicoke, Ontario. Her family has confirmed her death, and Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his condolences, stating that Canadian officials are coordinating closely with their Indian counterparts.
The crash site was chaotic, with large parts of the aircraft striking B.J. Medical College, killing at least five medical students and injuring dozens more. Indian officials are now relying on DNA testing to identify charred remains. Rescue teams continue to search for additional victims, while global leaders, including King Charles III, Vladimir Putin, and Rishi Sunak, have extended their sympathies.
Aviation experts have pointed to the aircraft’s steep nose angle and abrupt loss of altitude just after takeoff. Questions are also being raised about the configuration of the plane’s flaps and slats. This is the first fatal crash involving the Dreamliner since it entered service in 2009. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the U.K.’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch have dispatched teams to assist in the investigation due to the aircraft’s American manufacturer and the number of British victims.
Air India, privatized by Tata Sons in 2022, now faces renewed scrutiny over safety practices. British MP Shivani Raja noted prior complaints about the reliability of this flight route, and Boeing shares took a significant hit following news of the crash. As investigators piece together what went wrong, the world watches closely for answers to a tragedy that has shaken communities across continents.
