Rising from wreckage: Miracle survivor says saw people dying in front of his eyes on AI plane
Ahmedabad (PTI): Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India flight which crashed into a hostel building in Ahmedabad, said on Friday he managed to come out alive because the part of the plane where he was seated was close to the ground unlike other passengers and crew.
Talking to reporters a day after the air disaster, Ramesh, originally a native of coastal town of Diu adjoining Gujarat, said his seat, 11A, was close to an emergency door on the left side of the ill-fated plane, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
"Luckily, the portion of the plane where I was seated fell on the ground floor of the hostel premises after the plane crash landed. When I saw that the door of the plane was broken, I told myself 'I can try and get out'. Eventually, I came out of the plane" Ramesh, a British citizen, maintained.
He is currently being treated at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi met him in the morning during his visit to the city.
"I believe that others could not escape because there was a wall on that side (of the hostel) while there was a small gap where I was sitting. I still can't believe how I survived the crash because I saw people dying in front of my eyes," he said.
A resident of Leicester, a city approximately 140 km north-northwest of London, Ramesh escaped with injuries for which he is undergoing treatment.
"Though I managed to escape, my left hand got burnt as the plane caught fire after the crash. I walked out of the aircraft and then an ambulance brought me to hospital. I am getting proper treatment here," he said.
In a viral video shot by a local resident immediately after the crash, Ramesh can be seen walking towards the ambulance after getting hurt in the crash.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171), with 242 people on board, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, crashed into a medical college complex in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
Ramesh survived the tragedy, while 241 others on board, including 168 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian, perished in the crash. Police have confirmed that at least 265 people, including those on the ground, were killed in the tragedy.
Four MBBS students and a doctor's wife were among those killed at the complex of BJ Medical College located outside the airport perimeter, where the aircraft smashed into a building soon after take-off.
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Passenger slapped during panic attack on IndiGo flight; Goes missing after landing, family seeks ans
Mumbai/Kolkata/Silchar: A shocking incident aboard IndiGo flight 6E138 from Mumbai to Kolkata has gone viral, sparking outrage after a video emerged showing a man being slapped mid-flight while reportedly suffering a panic attack. The victim, identified as Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar from Assam, has since gone missing, and his family is seeking urgent answers.
The video, widely circulated on social media, shows Hossain in visible distress, attempting to leave his seat and reportedly requesting to deboard. As flight attendants tried to calm him down, another passenger suddenly approached and slapped him. The incident triggered immediate protest from fellow travellers.
A young man suffers a panic attack, his co passenger slaps him. Indigo airlines says “All appropriate regulatory agencies have been duly informed, in line with protocol.”
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) August 1, 2025
This is a criminal case and the man needs to be on a No Fly List @DGCAIndia pic.twitter.com/dY1gQC6ze0
Hossain, a gym trainer based in Mumbai, was en route to his hometown Katigorah in Cachar district via a connecting flight from Kolkata to Silchar. However, he never boarded the Silchar flight, and his mobile phone remains unreachable. His family, who had gathered at the Silchar airport, are now in distress. Zubairul Islam Mazumdar, a relative, said, “We have no idea where he is. We’ve contacted the police and airport authorities but haven’t received any concrete information.” His father, Abdul Mannan Mazumdar, who is undergoing cancer treatment, said tearfully, “He was our only hope. Now we don’t even know if he’s safe.” In a statement issued on August 1, IndiGo Airlines said: “We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable, and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew. Our crew acted in accordance with established procedures. The individual identified as unruly was handed over to the security authorities upon arrival. Regulatory agencies have been informed as per protocol.”
We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 1, 2025
Our crew acted in accordance with…
However, the airline's statement has been criticised for failing to clarify what happened to Hossain after the incident, whether he received medical help, was detained, or was allowed to continue his journey.
Weak kneed response from @IndiGo6E . Has the man who got physical with a fellow passenger been put on a no-fly list? Has Indigo followed up on its complaint at point of disembarkation? If the passenger was handed over to the @CISFAirport were charges pressed? pic.twitter.com/qXMnfiBbFE
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) August 1, 2025
The video triggered widespread anger on social media, with many users interpreting the slap as a possible hate-driven act. However, aviation journalist Jagriti Chandra of The Hindu offered a clarification on X, stating: “The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight was handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident occurred after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to deboard. Both belong to the same religious community.”
The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to de board.
— Jagriti Chandra (@jagritichandra) August 1, 2025
Both belong to the same religious community.
Incident on… https://t.co/f0QPXG5hxG
Despite this clarification, concerns remain about the airline's handling of a visibly distressed passenger, particularly in the context of mental health. Unverified posts circulating on social media claim that Hossain was later found, though there has been no official confirmation from authorities or the airline.
Alhamdulillah! Hussain Ahmed Mazumder, who was assaulted on an IndiGo flight while returning from Mumbai to Silchar and went missing, has now been found safe in Kolkata.
— Munir (@tapadar_1314) August 1, 2025
He is stable and in contact with his family. pic.twitter.com/MEGSGzHTk7
