Ahmedabad Air India plane crash survivor explains how he escaped charred plane

Ahmedabad: The lone survivor of the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 240 lives, recounted that he managed to exit the wreckage through a shattered emergency door after the aircraft collided with a medical college hostel.

Ramesh Viswashkumar, who police identified as being seated in 11A next to the emergency exit, managed to escape via the broken hatch. Footage from Thursday showed him limping down the street, wearing a blood-soaked T-shirt and bearing facial bruises.

“I still can’t believe I made it out alive. For a moment, I thought I was going to die,” said the 40-year-old from his hospital bed in an interview with DD News on Friday.

“When I regained consciousness, I realized I was still alive. I unbuckled myself and looked for a way out. Right before my eyes, the air hostess and others died,” he recalled.

Authorities confirmed that the crash also resulted in casualties among hostel residents and people on the ground. On Friday, rescue teams were combing through the scorched hostel ruins to locate missing persons and aircraft debris.

According to Viswashkumar, shortly after takeoff the plane seemed to freeze midair for a few moments as the green and white cabin lights flickered on. He sensed a surge in engine power before the aircraft slammed violently into the hostel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and later met Viswashkumar at the hospital. Doctors reported that he did not suffer any serious injuries.

“I was seated on the side of the aircraft that ended up facing outward, and when the door gave way, I saw a clear path and made my escape,” he explained.

He added that the opposite side of the plane was pressed against a wall, likely preventing anyone else from escaping. Viswashkumar walked away from the crash with burn wounds on his left arm. DeshGujarat