Breaking The tragedy of seat 11J: Two British brothers boarded Air India flight but only one left alive – family’s joy and dread as father is sole survivor but sibling is missing EnglishHeadline

The British brother of the one man to outlive Air India‘s devastating airplane crash is in the present day pictured by MailOnline as their household weeps with pleasure and dread.

Ajaykumar Ramesh, 35, and Viswash, 40, had been in India on a enterprise journey earlier than they boarded the doomed flight travelling from Ahmedabad to Gatwick on Thursday.

In what has been described as a miracle, Viswash – seated in 11A by the exit – survived, however his sibling who was sat on the opposite aspect of the aisle in seat 11J perished within the fireball explosion.

Devastatingly, injured Viswash has been begging from his hospital mattress: ‘Discover Ajay, it’s essential to discover Ajay.’

Final evening, relations gathered on the household’s terraced dwelling in Leicester to consolation the brothers’ mom who is claimed to be too grief-stricken to talk.

‘It is a miracle a minimum of one among them survived,’ youthful brother Nayankumar Ramesh, 27, instructed us.  

‘He stated his airplane had crashed and he could not discover anybody, we could not consider it. There was blood working down his face.

‘You possibly can see within the image (within the Indian Press taken in hospital) that he has been injured. We’re flying on the market tomorrow.’

Hours after the crash, Nayan stated the household have been determined for information about what occurred to Ajay, as his cellphone was nonetheless ringing out after they referred to as it. 

Air India later confirmed that 241 of the 242 individuals aboard flight AI171 died within the crash – which means all hope of Ajay’s survival was dashed. 

‘We’re so confused’, Nayankumar stated earlier than the information. ‘We’re hoping he is survived and been taken to hospital as nicely.’

Requested how the household are wrestling with the tragedy of 1 brother surviving and the lack of the opposite, he gestured to his sobbing mom, Manibai Ramesh, behind him.

‘That is your reply’, the brother stated. ‘We’re simply baffled, baffled.’ 

He added: ‘It is a miracle a minimum of one among them survived.’ 

Nayan stated his older siblings have been in India on a enterprise journey regarding their household enterprise. Viswash was previously the only director of textile firm RMV Vogue, which closed down in 2022. 

The brothers’ cousin Ajay Valgi, from Leicester, instructed how Viswash referred to as his household to say he was ‘fantastic’ after fleeing the burning plane. 

However whereas they miraculously heard from one brother, youthful sibling Ajaykumar was tragically by no means in contact. 

Cousin Ajay instructed the BBC: ‘I am feeling completely upset. He isn’t simply my cousin, he is additionally one among my greatest pals as nicely.

‘They have been sitting subsequent to one another, however we do not know what occurred to [Ajay]. 

‘We’re not doing nicely. We’re all upset,’ he added. 

Astonishing footage confirmed Viswash with seen accidents hobbling away from the scene of the crash. He reportedly sustained accidents to his chest, eyes and toes. 

Police discovered the passenger in a residential space in Gujarat, and transferred him to a close-by hospital for therapy.

Chatting with native media from his hospital mattress, Viswash stated his brother had been sitting on a close-by row, including: ‘I can not discover him anymore.’ 

‘Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise after which the airplane crashed. All of it occurred so shortly,’ he added.

‘Once I bought up, there have been our bodies throughout me. I used to be scared. I stood up and ran.

‘There have been items of the airplane throughout me. Somebody grabbed maintain of me and put me in an ambulance and introduced me to the hospital.’

Police stated Viswash had ‘managed to flee by leaping out the emergency door’.  

A hospital medic reportedly claimed the survivor instructed him how the jet had instantly cut up in half, throwing him out earlier than an enormous explosion. 

One other added: ‘He instructed us he had been on the airplane that crashed, however nobody believed him at first.’ 

Brother Nayan stated his brother was in disbelief at how he bought out alive, saying on the cellphone: ‘I do not know how I survived or exited the airplane.’

‘When he was on the runway, my dad referred to as him. And Viswash stated, “oh, we will take off quickly”,’ he stated. 

‘After which actually like two minutes later, he video referred to as my dad as he crashed.

‘He stated, “our airplane’s crashed, I do not know the place my brother is. I do not see some other passengers. I do not understand how I am alive, how I exited the airplane”.

‘All he was nervous about on the cellphone was telling us “discover Ajay, it’s essential to discover Ajay”,’ Nayan added. 

Viswash, who lives in London along with his spouse and youngster, was travelling dwelling when the airplane crashed, hitting buildings housing docs within the metropolis of Ahmedabad. 

On the bottom, police stated that they had discovered one other survivor within the hospital struck by the airplane. The confirmed loss of life toll has climbed to a minimum of 260 individuals, in keeping with police.

Earlier than the invention of the British survivor, authorities stated that they believed nobody had escaped the flight alive.

There have been 53 British nationals on board in addition to 159 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese residents and a Canadian. Eleven of these on board have been kids, together with two newborns.

The airplane’s captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of flying expertise, desperately cried ‘Mayday…no thrust, shedding energy, unable to elevate’ earlier than the plane went down and hit a residential property. 

Footage seems to point out Captain Sabharwal and his co-pilot Clive Kundar hopelessly making an attempt to nudge up the nostril of their sinking plane moments earlier than the devastating affect. 

Aviation specialists stated the Boeing 787 Dreamliner could have instantly misplaced energy ‘on the most crucial section of flight’ after takeoff.

The potential causes are believed to incorporate a speedy change in wind or a fowl strike resulting in a double engine stall. 

Officers from India’s Plane Accident Investigation Bureau have been on the scene to hold out an evaluation of the wreckage and retrieve the stricken jet’s black field. 

Movies shared on social media confirmed the airplane quickly shedding altitude – with its nostril up – earlier than it hit a constructing and erupted in a violent explosion.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that one passenger in some way survived the crash. 

‘The police discovered one survivor in seat 11A. He has been taken to the hospital and is at present receiving therapy,’ he instructed information company ANI. 

‘As for the variety of casualties, it is too early to substantiate. The crash occurred in a residential space, so the loss of life toll could rise.’

The Boeing jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat at round 1.40pm (0810 GMT), officers stated.

Ahmedabad, the principle metropolis of India’s Gujarat state, is dwelling to round eight million individuals, and the busy airport is surrounded by densely packed residential areas.

‘Once we reached the spot there have been a number of our bodies mendacity round and firefighters have been dousing the flames,’ resident Poonam Patni stated.

‘Our workplace is close to the constructing the place the airplane crashed. We noticed individuals from the constructing leaping from the second and third ground to avoid wasting themselves. The airplane was in flames,’ stated one resident, who declined to be named. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the scenes from the crash have been ‘devastating’, in an announcement addressing passengers and their households ‘at this deeply distressing time’. 

The UK authorities stated it was sending a staff to assist the investigation. 

Boeing stated it was ‘working to assemble extra data’ on the incident which a supply near the case stated was the primary crash for a 787 Dreamliner. 

A police official who instructed the BBC on Thursday evening that every one the our bodies and their stays had been faraway from the positioning of the crash. 

‘It took hours to make sense of the chaos. And it should take many extra hours to fully clear up the positioning,’ he stated. 

Lt. Col. John R. Davidson, a former US Air Pressure pilot and business aviation security advisor, stated the airplane appeared to have reached takeoff pace however not altitude, in keeping with flight information, suggesting ‘both a really late rotation or a stall shortly after takeoff’. 

‘There are a selection of potential eventualities: thrust or engine efficiency points, extreme plane weight, poor trim or flap configuration, or a extra essential failure that affected the plane’s means to climb,’ he stated.

‘Climate, windshear and even fowl strike cannot be dominated out both at this early stage.’

Preliminary flight monitoring information from flightradar24 reveals the airplane reached an altitude of simply 625ft after takeoff – a peak far beneath customary for a business plane a number of minutes into departure. 

Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, a former senior pilot, instructed NDTV that circulating footage exhibiting the airplane’s terrifying descent ‘regarded like a case of a number of fowl hits whereby each the engines have misplaced energy’.

‘The takeoff was excellent,’ he stated. ‘And simply, I consider, wanting taking the gear up, the plane began descending, which may occur solely in case the engine loses energy or the plane stops growing elevate.’ 

Aviation skilled Sanjay Lazar famous that the Dreamliner was solely 11 years previous, so was unlikely to have underlying technical points. 

A fowl strike ‘would clarify why the plane didn’t have the ability to elevate,’ he stated. ‘If there have been a number of fowl hits on take-off, it in all probability couldn’t have gone past the 6-7 minute threshold and began falling.’ 

In pilots’ boards, aviation specialists stated that it sounded just like the airplane’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency wind turbine, had been deployed shortly earlier than the crash.

Davidson defined that the low altitude and excessive pace studying on the closing second would possibly point out a ‘steep nose-down trajectory or a stall occasion’ simply after takeoff.

‘That is per accidents like Spanair Flight 5022 and Flydubai Flight 981, the place mechanical or environmental components mixed with compromised elevate efficiency led to lack of management throughout or simply after liftoff,’ he stated.

The previous pilot famous: ‘Flight information alone is not sufficient to find out fault — however it tells us this plane by no means really made it airborne in a significant approach. 

‘No matter occurred, it occurred quick, and proper on the most crucial section of flight.’

In accordance with information logs recorded at 30-second intervals confirmed the airplane remained on the bottom or was taxiing slowly for over 4 minutes after it first registered on public trackers.

The airplane took off and reached 625ft, however no additional beneficial properties in altitude have been recorded earlier than the crash. 

India’s Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation stated the airplane despatched a mayday name moments earlier than the tragedy unfolded. 

Prof Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science, College of Studying, noticed: ‘On the time of the departure, the climate situations on the airport seem to have been superb. 

‘It was a dry and sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures close to 40°C. 

‘There was good visibility and lightweight winds from the west. There was no unhealthy climate within the neighborhood.

‘There isn’t any indication at this stage that turbulence or different climate situations have been an element within the crash.’

Prof John McDermid, Lloyd’s Register Chair of Security, College of York, famous: ‘It is stunning that the accident occurred earlier than the plane had even bought to 200metres altitude. 

‘Pilots can abort take-off till fairly late within the take-off roll, so it looks as if the issue occurred very instantly within the closing a part of the take-off roll, or shortly after take-off, and was sufficiently critical to be unmanageable. 

‘Given the degrees of redundancy in programs, the truth that plane are designed to climb out on just one engine, and so on. on preliminary sight this appears a really stunning accident.’

Peter Neenan, aviation lawyer and Accomplice at UK legislation agency Stewarts, defined that there would probably be a joint investigation to uncover the reason for the tragedy.

‘In the end, the Indian Directorate of Basic Civil Aviation will start their investigation,’ he stated.

‘The US Nationwide Transportation Security Board will help in that investigation and given the variety of deaths of British nationals, we’d count on the UK Air Accident Investigation Department to additionally help.’

He famous that such investigations ‘routinely take two or extra years to finish’.

The jet careened again to earth within the densely populated Meghani space of the town.

Darkish photographs confirmed the stays of our bodies on the positioning, whereas different footage shared to social media revealed chunks of the airplane’s fuselage and tail protruding from a demolished constructing. 

Elements of the jet smashed into lodging for docs practising on the BJ Medical Faculty and Civil Hospital.

Remnants of the fuselage and the touchdown gear have been seen dangling by a gaping gap within the aspect of what seemed to be a canteen, with half-finished plates of meals clearly seen on benches inside.

‘The constructing on which it has crashed is a docs’ hostel… we now have cleared virtually 70% to 80% of the realm and can clear the remaining quickly,’ a senior police officer instructed reporters on the scene.

Firefighters doused the smouldering piles of particles with their hoses as pictures and movies taken by horrified residents in Meghani confirmed an enormous plume of thick black smoke emanating from the crash web site.

‘Our workplace is close to the constructing the place the airplane crashed. We noticed individuals from the constructing leaping from the second and third ground to avoid wasting themselves. The airplane was in flames,’ stated one resident, who declined to be named. 

British Overseas Minister David Lammy stated he was ‘deeply saddened’ by information of the crash, including that Britain was now working with Indian authorities to determine precisely what led to the incident.

‘My ideas are with all these affected. The UK is working with native authorities in India to urgently set up the details and supply assist,’ his assertion learn.

The Indian aviation minister’s workplace stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the crash as ‘heartbreaking past phrases’, had directed it to make sure all assist was prolonged to the rescue efforts instantly.

All related companies have been on excessive alert and coordinated efforts have been underway, the aviation minister’s workplace added.

Air India’s Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran shared a heartfelt assertion that learn: ‘With profound sorrow I affirm that Air India Flight 171 working Ahmedabad London Gatwick was concerned in a tragic accident in the present day.

‘Our ideas and deepest condolences are with the households and family members of all these affected by this devastating occasion. At this second, our major focus is on supporting all of the affected individuals and their households.

‘We’re doing the whole lot in our energy to help the emergency response groups on the web site and to supply all mandatory assist and care to these impacted.’

Gatwick Airport subsequently confirmed the flight that was as a result of land at 18:25 on Thursday had crashed on departure.

Aviation skilled Julian Bray instructed MailOnline: ‘It is a Boeing Dreamliner that has gone down – not sure whether or not they’ve managed to get anyone off the airplane.

‘If it has certainly crash-landed they usually can deploy the chutes out then they need to have the ability to get individuals off in 90 seconds. I’m conscious there are fireplace home equipment in attendance – this can be a main incident.

‘It is rather disappointing that it’s a Dreamliner as it’s a state-of-the-art Boeing. We can’t rule out safety points. However that is all hypothesis on my half.’

Climate situations have been calm on the time of the accident with clear skies and a windspeed of simply seven knots, or eight miles per hour. 

Indian information company ANI reported police sources had confirmed 242 individuals have been on board the flight. 

India’s aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated in an announcement: ‘Shocked and devastated to be taught concerning the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We’re on highest alert. 

‘I’m personally monitoring the state of affairs and have directed all aviation and emergency response companies to take swift and coordinated motion. 

‘Rescue groups have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to make sure medical assist and aid assist are being rushed to the positioning. My ideas and prayers are with all these on board and their households.’

The Director Basic of India’s Plane Accident Investigation Bureau is en path to the positioning of the incident with a staff of investigators, in keeping with the Occasions of India. 

Air India shared a quick assertion within the wake of the catastrophe, writing on X: ‘Flight AI171, working Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was concerned in an incident in the present day, 12 June 2025. 

‘At this second, we’re ascertaining the small print and can share additional updates on the earliest.’

Ahmedabad is the principle metropolis in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dwelling state of Gujarat.

The 787 Dreamliner concerned within the crash is a widebody, twin-engine airplane. It’s believed to be the primary ever of a Boeing 787 plane, in keeping with the Aviation Security Community database. 

The final deadly airplane crash in India was in 2020 and concerned Air India Specific, the airline’s low-cost arm.

The airline’s Boeing-737 overshot a ‘table-top’ runway at Kozhikode Worldwide Airport in southern India. The airplane skidded off the runway, plunging right into a valley and crashing nose-first into the bottom.

Twenty-one individuals have been killed in that crash.

The previously state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara – a three way partnership between the group and Singapore Airways – in 2024.

Tata stated an emergency centre had been activated and a assist staff arrange for households in search of data.

Thursday’s tragedy is the newest in a string of disasters involving Boeing jets and comes simply six months after a 737 crashed in South Korea, killing 179. 

In October 2018, Boeing’s Lion Air flight 610 plunged into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, in Indonesia killing all 189 individuals on board. 

Then, in March 2019, Ethiopian Airways flight 302 crashed minutes after departing Addis Ababa, ensuing within the deaths of 157 passengers and crew. 

Shares of planemaker Boeing fell 8% in premarket US buying and selling following in the present day’s incident. 

Boeing stated in an announcement it was conscious of preliminary stories and was working to assemble extra data.