'It's a Miracle': Brother of Sole Known Survivor of Air India Crash Speaks Out

Moments after takeoff, a lone survivor of the Air India crash made a shocking video call that his plane had gone down — and he didn't know how he was still alive.

In the aftermath of the devastating Air India crash, the brother of the sole survivor has shared his account of the tragedy from his home in Leicester, United Kingdom.

Nayan Kumar Ramesh, whose brother Vishwashkumar Ramesh was the only person to survive the incident, recalled the moments leading up to the crash and the emotional toll it had taken on their family.

According to Nayan, just minutes before the crash, their father received a call from Vishwashkumar as he prepared for takeoff. "And then literally like two minutes later, he video called my dad. As he crashed, he said, 'Our plane's crashed,'" Nayan recounted.

Still grappling with the reality of the situation, Nayan relayed his brother's words after the accident. Vishwashkumar reportedly told them, "I don't know where my brother is. I don't see any other passengers. I don't know how I'm alive, how I exited the plane."

The tragedy has left the Ramesh family in deep sorrow. Nayan, reflecting on the ordeal, shared, "I've got no words to describe it." Speaking about the survival of his brother amidst the loss, he added, "It's a miracle he survived. What about the other miracle for my other brother," highlighting the loss of another sibling in the crash.

The traumatic experience has also impacted Nayan's sense of safety while flying. "Just hearing about this crash, I'm scared to fly now, to even stay on a plane now," he said.

The tragedy unfolded on Thursday, June 12, 2025, when an Air India flight bound for London crashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. According to the airline, 241 people on board lost their lives. Only one passenger, who was thrown from the aircraft during the crash, survived.

At least five medical students in a nearby college hostel were killed when the aircraft slammed into the building and burst into flames. "Most of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition," revealed Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in the city.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah visited the survivor at the hospital. Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who examined the patient, identified him as Vishwashkumar. "He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body," Dr. Dhaval told The Associated Press. "But he seems to be out of danger."

Another medical worker said the survivor explained that the plane began to descend shortly after takeoff and suddenly split in two, throwing him out before a loud explosion followed.

The crash occurred near Ahmedabad airport, in Gujarat's capital city, home to over five million residents and the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A video shared online appeared to show the jet descending slowly before it vanished behind houses. Moments later, a massive fireball rose into the sky. The Associated Press confirmed the video by matching the plane's flight path with the crash location and surrounding residential area.

Emergency services responded quickly. Firefighters sprayed water on the plane's burning remains and nearby multistory buildings. Charred bodies were found scattered on the ground, while parts of the aircraft's fuselage lay in debris.

The tail cone of the plane, still with damaged stabilizer fins, was lodged atop one of the buildings. Army teams joined civil authorities to clear the site and assist the injured.

In a social media post, the Indian PM described the event as "heartbreaking beyond words" and expressed condolences to those affected. Lawmaker Sambit Patra confirmed that former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was among the dead.

Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, reported that at least five medical students were killed on the ground, with fifty others injured, several critically. He said many people were feared buried in the rubble.

The aircraft was headed to London Gatwick Airport and carried 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger. "Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones," the airline stated.

This crash marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Boeing said it was "working to gather more information."

India's aviation authority reported that the aircraft issued a mayday call before losing contact with air traffic control. Aviation expert John M. Cox said early footage showed the aircraft's nose was up, but it was not gaining altitude.

He added that investigators would rely heavily on the flight data recorder, which tracks thousands of performance metrics, to determine what happened.

The Boeing 787 was first introduced in 2009, with over 1,000 planes delivered to airlines worldwide. The last major crash in India happened in 2020, when an Air India Express jet overshot a hilltop runway, killing 21 people.

India's worst aviation disaster occurred in 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane collided midair with a Kazakhstan Airlines flight, killing 349 people.

Boeing, already under pressure following previous crashes involving its 737 Max models, saw its stock drop nearly 9 percent in early U.S. trading.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing as authorities work to analyze flight data and provide support to those affected.

While recovery efforts continue, officials remain focused on identifying victims, assisting survivors and families, and determining how the fatal incident unfolded.