Air India Crash Survivor Escaped Through Emergency Exit, Say Authorities

Ramesh Viswashkumar, identified as the only confirmed survivor among the 242 people aboard an Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday, was seated near an emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out, according to local police.

Speaking from a hospital bed, the 40-year-old, who holds British citizenship, said he had been traveling to the UK with his brother after spending time with relatives in India.

“When I got up, there were bodies everywhere. I was terrified. I stood up and ran. The wreckage was all around me. Someone helped me into an ambulance and I was brought here,” he said in an interview with an Indian newspaper.

It remains unclear whether he exited the plane before or after the crash.

Footage circulating on social media and broadcast on Indian TV showed a man with injuries, wearing a white shirt stained with blood and dark trousers, limping down a street. He was aided by medical personnel. The man, who had a goatee and visible facial bruising, resembled hospital images of Viswashkumar released by local outlets.

In the video, bystanders are heard asking him about other passengers. He responded, “They’re all inside.”

An image of his boarding pass shared online confirmed he had been assigned seat 11A on the flight bound for Gatwick Airport. He also told reporters his brother, Ajay, was seated elsewhere and asked for help locating him.

“He was close to the emergency exit and escaped through it,” said Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior law enforcement official in Ahmedabad.

A relative based in the UK, who wished to remain unnamed, confirmed by phone that Viswashkumar had survived and was in contact with family but declined to provide more details.

Ajay Valgi, a cousin living in Leicester, stated that Viswashkumar had called to say he was safe but didn’t elaborate further. Valgi also mentioned that the family had no information about Ajay’s whereabouts. “We’re all extremely distressed,” he said, adding that Viswashkumar is married and has a son.

The plane crashed into a residential area, striking a medical college hostel near the airport around lunchtime. It is being called the deadliest air disaster globally in the last ten years.

Authorities confirmed that over 240 lives were lost, including some individuals on the ground. Earlier reports citing a higher number were corrected after it was discovered that some victims had been double-counted.

So far, Viswashkumar remains the only known survivor, though emergency teams are continuing rescue efforts. “There is still hope that others may be found alive among those receiving treatment in hospitals,” said Chaudhary.