The tragedy of Air India Flight 171 continues to send shockwaves through families and communities across continents, as the investigation into what caused the devastating crash moves forward under intense scrutiny.
What was meant to be a routine journey home for 242 people turned catastrophic on June 12, 2025, when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plunged to the ground just moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, bound for London Gatwick. In those few minutes, 231 passengers, including two infants, and 11 crew members lost their lives. Only one man—Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—walked away.
The cause remains under investigation, but chilling details have begun to emerge. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flight experience, managed to radio a desperate final transmission:
“Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift!”
Nineteen seconds later, the plane disappeared from radar, crashing into a cluster of buildings and igniting a fireball that left nothing but wreckage behind. Among those lost were promising professionals, dedicated airline staff, beloved spouses, parents, and children.
One of the youngest members of the flight crew, First Officer Clive Kunder, was among the dead. A newly minted commercial pilot with over 1,100 flight hours, Clive had trained in Paris and was assisting on this flight. His tragic loss touched many, including actor Vikrant Massey, who revealed Clive was his cousin’s son.
Meanwhile, Air India cabin crew—among them Shradha Dhavan, Aparna Mahadik, and Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma—were mourned by colleagues and the public alike. Politician Biren Singh honored Sharma and another crew member, Lamnunthem Singson, with words that echoed nationwide grief:
“They served with pride and gave everything. May their families find peace.”
The loss extended far beyond the airline’s crew. British couple Jamie Meek and Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek were returning to London from a ten-day spiritual retreat in India. Known for running The Wellness Foundry, the couple had shared joyful updates on social media just hours before boarding the flight. Their final video was filled with laughter, gentle teasing, and calm—a moment of serenity before everything changed.
Jamie’s brother, Nick Meek, shared the heartbreak their family is facing.
“He was supposed to land at 6:30 p.m. and drive home to pick up his dog. Instead, we’re planning a funeral.”
While the rest of the world mourns, one man’s survival remains the only bright point in an otherwise unbearable story.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 38, had been seated in 11A near the emergency exit over the left wing—ironically, a place aviation safety experts would never expect anyone to survive. But somehow, through a twist of fate and physics, he emerged. Bloodied, disoriented, and barefoot, he ran from the wreckage until help arrived.
Footage captured him walking toward an ambulance, visibly limping and in shock. At the hospital, he whispered the first question that has haunted his family since:
“Where’s Ajay? Please help me find Ajay.”
His older brother, Ajay Ramesh, was also on the flight. They had been seated in different rows. While Vishwash clung to life, Ajay was never found.
The Ramesh family, based in Leicester, has since been shattered by the duality of that day—one son saved, the other presumed gone. Their younger brother, Nayan, recounted receiving a video call from Vishwash moments after the crash:
“He said, ‘Our plane crashed. I have no idea how I got outside.’ He couldn’t find Ajay. We’re still struggling to process it.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vishwash at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where he is expected to make a full recovery. Doctors say he is in stable condition and might be discharged soon. Yet emotionally, the scars are fresh and deep.
CNN’s aviation expert David Soucie called the survival from seat 11A “astounding,” noting the seat’s placement directly above the wing spar—a section of the aircraft that typically takes the brunt of impact in a crash.
In the days since the tragedy, white roses have been placed outside India House in London. Families continue to gather, grasping for answers. Meanwhile, investigators sift through black box data and debris in a search for clarity.
But even as they seek technical explanations, what lingers most powerfully are the human stories. A pilot’s final call. A couple’s final laugh. A survivor’s bewildered voice echoing through a phone line.
And one heartbreaking certainty: for 241 souls aboard Flight 171, home never came. For the ones they left behind, the pain may never fully land.
