Subhechcha Ganguly 
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, is among the survivors of the tragic Air India crash that occurred shortly after takeoff on Thursday. The Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including crew, took off at 1:39 pm but crashed within minutes, bursting into flames.
Vishwash, who had come to India to visit his family, was returning to the UK along with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh (45). Currently recovering at the Civil Hospital in Asarwa with injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, he recounted the terrifying moments after takeoff.
“Just 30 seconds after takeoff, I heard a loud noise and the next thing I knew, the plane had crashed. It happened so fast,” he told Hindustan Times, still clutching his boarding pass. “When I got up, there were bodies everywhere. I was terrified. I stood up and ran. Pieces of the aircraft were scattered around. Someone pulled me into an ambulance and brought me here.”
Vishwash, who has lived in London for 20 years with his wife and child, is now desperately searching for his brother, who was seated elsewhere on the plane. “We had visited Diu and were flying back together. I can’t find him now. Please help me find him,” he pleaded.
The crash has left dozens of families scrambling for news of their loved ones. At the hospital, relatives anxiously searched for survivors, including those of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who was reportedly on the same flight. His former aide, Sailesh Mandliya, was among those at the hospital. “We are looking for him. If you hear anything, please inform us,” he said.
Air India confirmed the nationalities of the passengers onboard: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
