Rhianna Benson
The sole survivor of the devastating Air India Flight 171 plane crash that killed 241 of 242 people on board yesterday (12 June) has opened up on his harrowing experience.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was scheduled to depart at 09:50 UK time from Ahmedabad in Western India on Thursday, with plans to arrive into Gatwick Airport in London at 18:25.
Seconds after takeoff, however, and a mayday call was made to air traffic control officers by those in the cockpit, marking 'the last signal' from those on board.
Minutes later, the plane collided with a doctors' hostel. A hoard of individuals on the ground are believed to have died as the result of the crash, with many having since been transferred to hospital to treatment.
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Despite Indian Police suggesting in the hours that followed that there would likely be 'no survivors' on board the plane, it was later revealed that one single passenger had made it out alive.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was sat in seat 11A when the plane went down due to unknown causes. The British man had been travelling back to the UK with his brother, Ajay, who was sat in a different row.
Speaking to Hindustan Times yesterday after being found in the wreck - miraculously only having sustained 'impact injuries' on his chest, eyes and feet - Ramesh claimed to have heard a 'loud noise' around 30 seconds after takeoff.
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"It all happened so quickly," he added. "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."
Ramesh has since spoken to press again today - as per Metro - providing further detail about the moment the plane went down.
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"When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air," he went on to explain.
"Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there."
Reflecting on his survival, Ramesh went on to recall: "When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did.
"Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren’t able to."
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He went on to admit he 'doesn't know how' he was able to make it out alive.
"I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me," Ramesh continued.
"I walked out of the rubble."
So far, only a handful of names of the deceased have been released to the public - amongst them is a British family-of-three.
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Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara all died in yesterday's collision, with the Gloucester Muslim Community Facebook page issuing a tribute to the trio online.
"During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind," it read.
"No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world.
"May their cherished memories provide comfort, and may they rest in eternal peace."