Thirty seconds after take‑off, there was a loud explosion — Sole Survivor Speaks Out
Thirty seconds after take‑off, there was a loud explosion — Sole Survivor Speaks Out
On June 12, 2025, at 1:38 PM IST, Air India Flight AI171—a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner—departed Ahmedabad Airport bound for London Gatwick with 242 people onboard. Mere seconds into its climb, the aircraft issued a mayday before colliding with a residential area in Meghani Nagar. The crash devastated a doctors’ hostel at B.J. Medical College, igniting a massive blaze. Authorities have so far recovered over 200 bodies from both the aircraft and the impacted buildings .
The Unthinkable: A Survivor
“Thirty seconds after take off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”
Ramesh suffered multiple bruises around his chest, eyes, and feet, but remained conscious. Emerging amid wreckage and bodies, he recounted crawling out and running toward rescuers. “There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me… and brought me to the hospital,” he told journalists .
Additional footage and Reddit posts from r/indianaviation support his miraculous escape. One Redditor wrote:
“Passenger Vishwas Kumar seated in 11A survived and walked out with minor injuries.”
Evidence of Explosion
Preliminary inquiries reveal witnesses heard multiple explosions before impact and saw thick smoke rising from the crash site . Investigators noted that the plane's landing gear remained unusually extended, and its altitude was only around 625 feet before it began plummeting . While it's too soon for definitive conclusions, Ramesh’s report of a loud explosion aligns with eyewitness accounts and early investigative signals.
Rescue & Emergency Response
Emergency teams—including fire crews, ambulances, CISF personnel, and Indian Army units—responded swiftly. They combed through debris and extinguished the blaze, simultaneously treating injured survivors from both the aircraft and hostel .
Air India’s parent company, Tata Sons, has pledged ₹1 crore in compensation to each victim’s family and will cover the medical expenses of the injured . International aviation agencies, including the UK’s AAIB and Boeing, are collaborating with Indian authorities in the official investigation .
Why This Matters
This marks the first-ever fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model with a previously stellar safety record
Survivor testimonies like Ramesh’s provide crucial insights into the sequence of events, especially regarding the explosion he heard moments after takeoff.
The unusual failure to retract landing gear and the mayday call during initial climb add more layers for investigators to untangle.
🛑 What Comes Next
Flight data recorders will be analyzed to reconstruct the final moments.
Investigators will probe possible causes: structural failure, engine malfunction, fuel dynamics, or other anomalies.
Safety reviews of Boeing 787 procedures will likely follow, especially regarding emergency protocols during initial climb.
Final Thoughts
Ramesh’s survival amid this calamity offers both a glimmer of hope and a wealth of survivor testimony. His account of hearing a loud explosion is a critical piece of the unfolding narrative. As investigations proceed, more clarity will emerge—and the aviation community will be watching closely.
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