Cliff Notes
- Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, has been discharged from hospital and was seen as a pallbearer for his brother’s coffin during the funeral.
- The incident involved a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that struck a medical college hostel shortly after take-off, resulting in at least 241 fatalities, including 30 on the ground.
- Investigations are ongoing, with authorities looking into aircraft issues, while both cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been recovered for analysis.
British survivor of Air India crash carries brother’s coffin after being discharged from hospital | UK News
A British man – the sole survivor of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad – has been discharged from hospital, the airline has confirmed.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, has since been seen in video as a pallbearer for the coffin of his brother – one of the 241 people killed in the crash – at a funeral in western India.
At least 30 people also died on the ground as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college hostel shortly after take-off from the airport on Thursday.
In a statement, Air India said it was “in mourning for the tragic loss” of passengers and crew aboard flight AI171 and is in contact with relatives of those killed, including 52 British nationals.
It said it was working to repatriate the deceased to the UK and other parts of the world, adding: “The sole survivor of the accident, also a British national, has been discharged from hospital.”
“The investigation is ongoing,” it said. “We are cooperating with all parties involved and are committed to sharing verified information and will continue to provide updates wherever we can.”
There were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian among the passengers, along with 12 crew.
The only survivor, Mr Ramesh, was in seat 11A, near the emergency exit.
Dozens of anxious family members are waiting to collect the bodies of loved ones as doctors work to gather dental samples and perform DNA profiling to identify victims.
Air India and the Indian government are looking at issues linked to engine thrust, flaps, and why the landing gear remained extended, or in the down position, after take-off.