'Engine Failure!': Final Words From Air India Cockpit

In the aftermath of one of India's deadliest aviation disasters, rescue crews have pulled a lone survivor from the wreckage of Flight AI171—a devastating crash that killed over 200 people when a Boeing 787-8 went down in a densely populated neighborhood of Meghaninagar shortly after takeoff.

The survivor, identified as 48-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen of Indian origin known locally as Ramesh Vishwashkumar, was rescued from the charred fuselage and is currently in stable condition, according to Blic. Authorities say he "miraculously survived the crash and was taken to the hospital, where he is not in life-threatening danger."

Ramesh recounted the harrowing moment from his hospital bed: "Thirty seconds after takeoff, a loud noise was heard and the plane crashed. Everything happened very quickly," he told BBC News. He had been seated in 11A—a window seat beside an emergency exit in the front of the Economy Class cabin—allowing him to escape the burning aircraft, noted Kompas.

According to BBC News, Flight AI171 was carrying 242 people—230 passengers and 12 crew members—including 169 Indian citizens, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The flight had just departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time when it crashed into the B.J. Medical College complex, tearing through a dormitory and dining hall, as reported by Mirror.

Ynet News confirmed the death toll at at least 204, including passengers, crew, and local residents. More than fifty medical students were hospitalized; five later died, and dozens more suffered severe burns.

Ramesh was traveling with his older brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who sat in a different row and remains missing. "He was traveling with me, and I couldn't find him. Please help me find him," Ramesh pleaded through tears, as quoted by BBC News. Proceso reported that the brothers were visiting Gujarat on a family trip, and also published video footage of Ramesh, bloodied and dazed, walking toward an ambulance just moments after escaping the wreck.

As rescue operations continued, Police Commissioner Gyanendra Singh Malik warned the toll could rise due to the aircraft's impact on the crowded residential zone, Kompas reported. Army units have been assisting local emergency responders in sifting through debris, recovering bodies, and supporting survivors.

International aviation safety teams have joined the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in investigating the crash. According to The Economist, the probe is focusing on cockpit voice and flight data recordings, while engineers examine potential mechanical failures or procedural missteps. The Indian Express cited sources from the Justice Mathur Commission who are reviewing whether flap misconfiguration compromised lift, alongside possibilities of engine thrust loss or a bird strike.

This marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since the aircraft entered service in 2009, The Economist noted. Following the incident, Boeing shares plunged more than eight percent, "re-igniting concerns about Boeing's ongoing safety issues."

Air India's parent company, Tata Group, announced compensation of ₹1 crore for each bereaved family, and is providing travel, accommodation, and counseling support for relatives arriving in Ahmedabad, according to Ynet News.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the disaster "an indescribably heartbreaking tragedy," reported Kompas, and the crash has renewed scrutiny over the safety of urban airports located in densely populated areas.

Doctors have confirmed that Ramesh sustained trauma to his chest, eyes, and legs, but his condition is stable. Investigators hope his firsthand account will provide critical insight into the final moments of Flight AI171.