Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, is among the survivors of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash that occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. Recounting his harrowing experience from his hospital bed at Civil Hospital, Asarwa, Vishwash described the initial moments of the disaster.

"Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Vishwash, who sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, told reporters. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London's Gatwick Airport, had 242 people on board, including crew members. It took off at 1:39 pm and crashed within minutes, erupting into flames.

Vishwash, who had been visiting family in India for a few days, was on his way back to the UK with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, who was seated in a different row. "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me," Vishwash recounted, still holding his boarding pass. He is desperately seeking information about his brother's whereabouts. "He was traveling with me, and I can't find him anymore. Please help me find him," he pleaded.

According to Air India, the flight manifest included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The crash has led to a temporary shutdown of all flight operations at Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft crashed into a hostel for doctors of a medical college at 1:30 pm, according to officials. The pilot had sent out a mayday call before communications were lost. Rescue operations are currently underway, with emergency services working to manage the situation.

News of the crash has prompted reactions from various quarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and directed officials to provide all possible assistance. Gujarat's ex-Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among the passengers on the flight, traveling to London to meet his daughter. His family members are also at the hospital, anxiously awaiting information.

The incident has evoked memories of past aviation tragedies, including the 1988 Indian Airlines crash in Ahmedabad, where only two passengers survived. The lone survivor of that crash, Ashok Agarwal, passed away in 2020, carrying the trauma of the event until his death.