On June 13, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash near Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and several others on the ground.
Ramesh, a British national seated next to an emergency exit, escaped by jumping through the broken hatch seconds before the plane impacted a medical college hostel. He sustained minor injuries and is currently hospitalized in Ahmedabad.
During his visit to the crash site in his home state of Gujarat, Modi met with rescue personnel and the injured, including Ramesh. The Prime Minister expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, describing the scene as “devastating” and “heartbreaking beyond words.” Modi’s visit underscored the nation’s grief and commitment to supporting victims’ families and ongoing rescue efforts.
Investigators continue to search the crash site, having recovered one of the plane’s black boxes, while DNA testing is underway to identify the deceased. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
This visit highlights the gravity of the disaster and the rare miracle of Ramesh’s survival amid one of India’s deadliest aviation accidents.
