One Confirmed Survivor, Relates Experience During Treatment

An Air India flight out of Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD/VAAH) in western India, bound for London Gatwick Airport went down almost immediately after takeoff into a residential neighborhood, with more than 240 dead including at least five on the ground. One survivor was confirmed, a British national who was receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the crash who somehow was able to walk away from the wreckage and inferno, was in seat 11A and during treatment he said, “Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner powered by two GEnx-1B64 engines. It was registered as VT-ANB and had been delivered to Air India in 2014.

Numerous video clips show the aircraft taking off from Runway 23 apparently in a normal manner, but during its initial climb it failed to gain sufficient altitude and then went down about 30 seconds after takeoff.

According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft climbed to a max altitude of only 625 feet MSL – about 425 feet above the airport’s 200-foot elevation – and then descended in a wings-level, nose-up attitude at approximately 475 fpm with its landing gear still extended.

The aircraft’s main gear impacted the top floor of a doctor’s hostel building where a restaurant was located. The tail section then also hit the roof and separated from the rest of the aircraft, which then impacted the ground and burst into flames in close proximity to other buildings in the immediate area.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Air India, issued the following statement:

“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.

“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.”

Although the final toll is still unconfirmed, authorities have confirmed that several additional occupants were injured and taken to local hospitals, but that report did not specify whether they were occupants of the aircraft or of a building affected by the crash.

Officials also confirmed that aboard the aircraft were 169 Indian, 53 British, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.

FMI:  www.airindia.com