Viswash Kumar Ramesh, 40 years old, was the only person who survived the tragic Air India plane crash on June 12. After being treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, he was discharged on Tuesday evening. He then performed the final rites of his brother Ajay, who died in the crash.
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The hospital confirmed that Ajay’s body was identified using DNA testing and handed over to Ramesh for cremation.
Ramesh, a British citizen, was traveling from Diu to London with his brother on Air India flight AI-171. Ramesh was seated in seat 11A and Ajay in 11J. The plane crashed just seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad airport and landed on a medical college hostel.
Images of Ramesh limping away from the wreckage with injuries became widely shared. He managed to escape through a broken door of the plane.
Asker Ali, the nodal officer from Diu, said many people from Diu were on the flight — 15 in total. Among them, 4 were British citizens (including Ramesh), 4 were Indian citizens, and 7 were Portuguese citizens. DNA tests have confirmed the identities of 12 victims, and their last rites have been completed. Two victims are still waiting to be identified.
The Administrator of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Union Territory, Praful Patel, visited the victims’ families and met Ramesh in the hospital.
Ramesh had injuries on his chest, eyes, and feet but is now recovering well. The officer added that Diu is a small place where many people know each other, and the tragedy deeply affected the community.
Ramesh shared his terrifying experience, saying that about 30 seconds after take-off, he heard a loud sound. When he stood up, there were bodies all around him and plane debris everywhere. Someone pulled him out and took him to the hospital.
Investigators are still examining the wreckage to find out what caused the crash. The plane went down in a crowded area near Ahmedabad airport, making it the worst aviation disaster in India in over 30 years and one of the worst globally in the past decade.
The London-bound flight had 242 people on board. Tragically, around 30 people on the ground also died. Ramesh was the only passenger who survived the crash.
