Vishwash Ramesh, 35, was the only survivor of the plane crash in India that left 241 people dead – and he has given a clue as to what may have caused the horrific accident
A Brit who miraculously survived the catastrophic Air India crash has hinted at a possible cause behind the tragedy. Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor, recounted the harrowing ordeal of witnessing fellow passengers die, saying from his hospital bed, “I still can’t believe how I survived”.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner met its fiery end when it smashed into a medical college shortly after lifting off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, claiming 241 lives in one of the worst air disasters involving British citizens and marking the first for a 787 model.
Seated in 11A by an emergency exit, Mr Ramesh described the chilling moments before impact: “When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air.”
He continued, detailing the ominous signs: “Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white. The aircraft wasn’t gaining altitude and was just gliding before it suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.”
This flickering could point to electrical issues, especially since another passenger reported malfunctioning seat screens the day before, reports the Mirror.
India’s civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced on X that the plane’s black box was retrieved from the wreckage within 28 hours, potentially holding key insights into the crash’s cause.
Information is being pieced together from the black box, and one of the theories by aviation boffins is that there might have been an electrical failure.
Mr Ramesh recounted: “I can’t believe how I came out of it alive. For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realised I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived.”
Describing his harrowing escape, he explained: “I saw an opening in the fuselage,” adding, “I managed to unbuckle myself, used my leg to push through that opening, and crawled out.”
Reflecting on his miraculous survival, Mr Ramesh remarked: “I don’t know how I survived. I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me … I walked out of the rubble.”
Flight tragedy experts are considering other potential causes for the disaster, ranging from dual engine failure – possibly from birds, akin to the famed Miracle on the Hudson in 2009 – to incorrect flap settings on the wings for take-off.
British authorities are now dispatching their own team of specialists to India to aid the probe, announced the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
Across the pond, US transportation honcho Sean Duffy has confirmed that American squads from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board are en route to India, with backing from industry giants Boeing and GE Aerospace.
Addressing the press, he stated it’s “way too premature” to bench Boeing 787s following the horrific crash.
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By staronline@reachplc.com (Tim Hanlon, Dan Grennan)
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