https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14806301/miracle-escape-survivor-air-india-crash.html

Miracle escape of 'seat 11A' as British SURVIVOR is seen WALKING AWAY from Air India crash jet on local TV, after police said they feared all 244 on board Gatwick-bound flight had died

    Follow MailOnline's liveblog for all the latest updates on the Air India disaster

By JAMES REYNOLDS and DAVID AVERRE

Published: 15:11, 12 June 2025 | Updated: 16:32, 12 June 2025

A British father miraculously walked away from the Air India plane disaster believed to have claimed the lives of hundreds of people.  Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, spoke from the safety of a hospital bed hours after making an incredible escape from the doomed Gatwick-bound Flight 171 earlier today.  Astonishing footage showed the passenger with visible injuries hobbling away from the scene of the crash. He reportedly sustained injuries to his chest, eyes and feet.  Police found the passenger, who had been in seat 11A when the jet came down, in a residential area in Gujarat, and transferred him to a nearby hospital for treatment.  'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,' he told local media.

'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. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.'

Mr Ramesh, who lives in London with his wife and child, was travelling home from seeing family in India when the plane crashed, hitting buildings housing doctors in the city of Ahmedabad.  On the ground, police said they had found another survivor in the hospital struck by the plane.  Authorities had said earlier that they believed there were no survivors on the flight. The plane had been carrying 242 passengers, including 53 Britons.  Those on board also included 159 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese and a Canadian. Eleven of those on board were children, including two newborns.  Rescue teams supported by the military have recovered 204 bodies from the scene so far, with casualties from the plane and the area surrounding the crash.  Aviation experts say that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner may have suddenly lost power 'at the most critical phase of flight' after takeoff.  The possible causes are believed to include a rapid change in wind or a bird strike leading to a double engine stall.  Officials from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are now at the scene to carry out an analysis of the wreckage and retrieve the stricken jet's black box.  Videos shared on social media showed the aircraft rapidly losing altitude with its nose up before it hit a building and erupted in a violent explosion.  Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that one passenger had somehow survived the crash.  'The police found one survivor in seat 11A. He has been taken to the hospital and is currently receiving treatment,' he told news agency ANI.

'As for the number of casualties, it's too early to confirm. The crash occurred in a residential area, so the death toll may rise.'

The Boeing jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat at around 1:40pm (0810 GMT), officials said.  Ahmedabad, the main city of India's Gujarat state, is home to around eight million people, and the busy airport is surrounded by densely packed residential areas.  'When we reached the spot there were several bodies lying around and firefighters were dousing the flames,' resident Poonam Patni told AFP.

'Many of the bodies were burned,' she added.

'Our office is near the building where the plane crashed. We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames,' said one resident, who declined to be named.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the scenes from the crash were 'devastating', in a statement addressing passengers and their families 'at this deeply distressing time.'   The UK government said Thursday it was sending a team to support the investigation.  Boeing said it was 'working to gather more information' on the incident which a source close to the case said was the first crash for a 787 Dreamliner.  Lt. Col. John R. Davidson, a former US Air Force pilot and commercial aviation safety consultant, said the plane appeared to have reached takeoff speed but not altitude, according to flight data, suggesting 'either a very late rotation or a stall shortly after takeoff'.  'There are a number of possible scenarios: thrust or engine performance issues, excessive aircraft weight, poor trim or flap configuration, or a more critical failure that affected the aircraft's ability to climb,' he said.

'Weather, windshear or even bird strike can't be ruled out either at this early stage.'

Preliminary flight tracking data from flightradar24 reveals the plane reached an altitude of just 625ft after takeoff a height far below standard for a commercial aircraft several minutes into departure.  Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, a former senior pilot, told NDTV that circulating footage showing the plane's terrifying descent 'looked like a case of multiple bird hits wherein both the engines have lost power'.

'The takeoff was perfect,' he said. 'And just, I believe, short of taking the gear up, the aircraft started descending, which can happen only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift.'

Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar noted that the Dreamliner was only 11 years old, so was unlikely to have underlying technical issues. The plane was under the command of Captain Summeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of experience.  A bird strike 'would explain why the aircraft did not have the power to lift,' he said. 'If there were multiple bird hits on take-off, it probably could not have gone beyond the 6-7 minute threshold and started falling.'

In pilots' forums, aviation experts said that it sounded like the plane's Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency wind turbine, had been deployed shortly before the crash.  Davidson explained that the low altitude and high speed reading at the final moment might indicate a 'steep nose-down trajectory or a stall event' just after takeoff.  'This is consistent with accidents like Spanair Flight 5022 and Flydubai Flight 981, where mechanical or environmental factors combined with compromised lift performance led to loss of control during or just after liftoff,' he said.

The former pilot noted: 'Flight data alone isn't enough to determine fault but it tells us this aircraft never truly made it airborne in a meaningful way.  Whatever happened, it happened fast, and right at the most critical phase of flight.'

According to data logs recorded at 30-second intervals showed the plane remained on the ground or was taxiing slowly for over four minutes after it first registered on public trackers.  The plane took off and reached 625ft, but no further gains in altitude were recorded before the crash.  India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the plane sent a mayday call moments before the tragedy unfolded.   Prof Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, observed: 'At the time of the departure, the weather conditions at the airport appear to have been very good.  It was a dry and sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures near 40°C.  There was good visibility and light winds from the west. There was no bad weather in the vicinity.  There is no indication at this stage that turbulence or other weather conditions were a factor in the crash.'

Prof John McDermid, Lloyd's Register Chair of Safety, University of York, noted: 'It's surprising that the accident occurred before the aircraft had even got to 200metres altitude.  Pilots can abort take-off until quite late in the take-off roll, so it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly in the final part of the take-off roll, or shortly after take-off, and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable.  Given the levels of redundancy in systems, the fact that aircraft are designed to climb out on only one engine, etc. on initial sight this seems a very surprising accident.'

Peter Neenan, aviation lawyer and Partner at UK law firm Stewarts, explained that there would likely be a joint investigation to uncover the cause of the tragedy.  'In due course, the Indian Directorate of General Civil Aviation will begin their investigation,' he said.

'The US National Transportation Safety Board will assist in that investigation and given the number of deaths of British nationals, we would expect the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch to also assist.'

He noted that such investigations 'routinely take two or more years to complete'.  The jet careened back to earth in the densely populated Meghani area of the city.  Dark images showed the charred remains of bodies littering the site, while other pictures shared to social media revealed chunks of the plane's fuselage and tail protruding from a demolished building.  Parts of the jet smashed into accommodation for doctors practising at the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital. Remnants of the fuselage and the landing gear were seen dangling through a gaping hole in the side of what appeared to be a canteen, with half-finished plates of food clearly visible on benches inside.  'The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,' a senior police officer told reporters at the scene.

Firefighters doused the smouldering piles of debris with their hoses as photos and videos taken by horrified residents in Meghani showed a huge plume of thick black smoke emanating from the crash site.  'Our office is near the building where the plane crashed. We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames,' said one resident, who declined to be named.

Footage of the final moments before the crash appeared to show the plane descending in a controlled manner with a high nose angle and landing gear deployed.  It momentarily disappeared from view behind trees and buildings before a massive fireball erupted on the horizon. The jet was fuelled for a long-haul flight direct to Gatwick, intensifying the blast.  British Foreign Minister David Lammy said he was 'deeply saddened' by news of the crash, adding that Britain was now working with Indian authorities to establish exactly what led to the incident.  'My thoughts are with all those affected. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support,' his statement read.

The Indian aviation minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the crash as 'heartbreaking beyond words', had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately.  All relevant agencies were on high alert and coordinated efforts were underway, the aviation minister's office added.  Air India's Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran shared a heartfelt statement that read: 'With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.  Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.  We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.'

Gatwick Airport subsequently confirmed the flight that was due to land at 18:25 today had crashed on departure.  Aviation expert Julian Bray told MailOnline: 'It's a Boeing Dreamliner that has gone down not certain whether they've managed to get anybody off the plane.  If it has indeed crash-landed and they can deploy the chutes out then they should be able to get people off in 90 seconds. I am aware there are fire appliances in attendance this is a major incident.  It is very disappointing that it is a Dreamliner as it is a state-of-the-art Boeing. We cannot rule out security issues. But this is all speculation on my part.'

Weather conditions were calm at the time of the accident with clear skies and a windspeed of just seven knots, or eight miles per hour.  Indian news agency ANI reported police sources had confirmed 242 people were on board the flight.  India's aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement: 'Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert.  I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.  Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.'

The Director General of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is en route to the site of the incident with a team of investigators, according to the Times of India.  Air India shared a brief statement in the wake of the disaster, writing on X: 'Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025.   'At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.'

Ahmedabad is the main city in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.  Ahmedabad airport said it had suspended all flight operations with immediate effect following the incident this morning.  The 787 Dreamliner involved in today's crash is a widebody, twin-engine plane. It is believed to be the first ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.   The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm.  The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a 'table-top' runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground.  Twenty-one people were killed in that crash.  The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines in 2024.  Tata said an emergency centre had been activated and a support team set up for families seeking information.  Today's tragedy is the latest in a string of disasters involving Boeing jets and comes just 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 people on board.  Then, in March 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed minutes after departing Addis Ababa, resulting in the deaths of 157 passengers and crew.  Shares of planemaker Boeing fell 8% in premarket US trading following today's incident.  Boeing said in a statement it was aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information.

gold plate

metal

I do too, Americans are quick to be very upset with gun crime then in the next breathe they are saying it's their right to own a gun.  They can't have it both ways.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14749595/Mum-Brit-US-ban-school-shooter-drills-gun.html

My son was shot dead just days after celebrating his 23rd birthday but I blame American parents for normalising a culture of gun violence in schools

By SAM LAWLEY

Published: 10:46, 26 May 2025 | Updated: 12:22, 26 May 2025

The mother of a British man shot dead by a teenager has placed the blame for her son's death on parents who 'normalise' gun violence in US schools.  Rory Swimm, who was born in Dundee, Scotland, was killed after an altercation with a stranger in Salt Lake City, Utah, just days after his 23rd birthday on October 13, 2023.  The student had been out celebrating when he started engaging in 'banter' with schoolboy Jordan Fisher, then 15, about drinking whisky, according to accounts from his friends at the scene.  After an argument broke out, the teenager is alleged to have driven away before coming back to throw bottles at Mr Swimm, driving off again and eventually returning to shoot him in the chest with the help of a laser.   Fisher, now 17, will be tried as an adult in a Utah court in June but will not face the death penalty if he is found guilty. He is pleading self-defence.  Now Rory's mother Susan, 56, has placed the blame on American parents who put up with 'shooter drills' and the sale of 'bullet-proof backpacks'.  Mrs Swimm said: 'What has struck me since Rory's murder is the blame I place on parents of American children who think it is okay their kids are drilled into hiding under desks at school and in closets.  From Kindergarten all the way through to high school they do shooter drills. This is a normal occurrence across America.  You have got kids waiting for the school shooter to come. Gun culture in schools has become normalised. We did simple fire drills in the UK - they do shooter drills here.  You've got adverts for what colour bulletproof backpack to get. America has accepted that kids will be killed at school and the parents have allowed that to happen.  They don't seem to understand. Even the Sandy Hook parents have been able to do very little to change that. What kind of a country allows this and what message is that giving to children?  People are still not allowed to drink until they are 21 yet can buy an AK Rifle at 18.'

The distraught mother was born in Glasgow but moved to Edwards, Colorado, with husband Rob, 59, and their two other children Scott, 26, and Maggie, 21.  Ms Swimm said that despite Fisher's name being released in court documents, she would never say it herself.  She added: 'That boy was out to kill someone and it was a complete stranger encounter. If Rory hadn't gone into the store or if he had turned left instead of right he would still be alive.  I am still not going to say his name. I never will. He was just 15 yet had managed to acquire two handguns one of them had a laser. They travelled 45 minutes from where they live and came across my beautiful son and his best friends.  It started as a banter altercation. Rory was offering him whisky. He was hospitable and liked to have a drink with his mates.  The problem was that boy was just out to kill someone.'

Ms Swimm added: 'They had been coming home from a bar celebrating Rory's 23rd birthday and had stopped to get some snacks. They started singing with a homeless man and Rory offered him some whisky.  Three boys approached and called him a 'skater f**' and Rory told them to f*** off. Rory gave the homeless man a snack and those boys started harassing him again.'

They allegedly clashed again a short while later and Susan said Rory's friend saw the alleged killer pull out the gun, and saw the bullet leave.  She added: 'It had a laser on it. You don't miss when there is a laser. All the boys fled in different directions and Rory fell to the ground.  His killers then got back into the car and sped away.'

Despite the horrifying incident, Ms Swimm described Salt Lake City, which had 11 homicides at the time of her son's death, as 'peaceful and quiet' and the area where it took place as a 'very quiet residential street'. 'Never in a million years would you think something bad would happen there,' she said.

'Our mission now is developing a non-profit we have started to teach youths kindness, compassion, empathy, inclusion through sport, art and music.  Rory was an incredible skier. He was called a 'reckless beauty like no other'.'

Ms Swimm said she has struggled to get the wider public interested in her son's case but hoped publicity around the trial might make some take notice.  She added: 'America doesn't want to hear any bad news they are not interested my son was killed. The local paper did a big piece on his memorial and how incredible it was but they didn't want to go into what happened.  So many young children are being killed. But America doesn't care. If they did they would do something. Instead they are doing shooting drills, which only normalises the culture. It's easier to get a gun than it is to get a Budweiser.  Rory was the most joyful human being I knew and had the ability to see good in everyone. He was a non-judgmental person and would include everybody.  He was the magnet of his huge friend group and people gravitated towards him. He had a real kindness. He would stand up to bullying and get involved but he would never want to hurt anybody. He was so full of fun.'

Mr Swimm was just about to complete welding school and was planning to move to Montana with his best friend when he was killed.  'He was on his way to doing really well,' his mother added. 'But that was ripped away from him.'