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Eyewitness

Air India crash survivor told me he's okay - his escape is nothing short of a miracle

British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is believed to be the only survivor after an Air India flight carrying 242 people crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.

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Plane crash survivor was 'very shaken up'
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Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was conscious, half sitting on his bed in blue hospital scrubs when I walked into the ward.

The Briton had bruises on his hands and face, and was speaking to an attendant and some plain-clothed policemen.

I introduced myself to the man believed to be the only survivor of Thursday's Air India crash and asked how he was.

He acknowledged me with a nod and said he was okay.

India plane crash - latest updates

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Pic: Hindustan Times
Image: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Pic: Hindustan Times

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On the ground at India plane crash site.

By then, the police and the hospital administrators stopped me from going any further and ushered me out of the ward.

Dr Shariq told me he was the first to attend to Ramesh when the ambulance brought him to the trauma centre.

"He was alright, had few cuts on his hands and face," the medic said. "There was nothing majorly wrong at all. He limped a bit. But he was mentally shaken up."

He described Ramesh's condition as conscious and alert.

A thorough check-up was done and he was moved to the special ward.

A miracle survivor is what everyone is calling him here. And that he is. Surviving a crash of that magnitude is nothing short of a miracle.

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Plane crash survivor’s brother speaks to Sky News

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A short distance from his ward is the mortuary, where dozens of relatives and friends have gathered to identify their loved ones.

Wails and cries break out every time an ambulance arrives.

Read more:
What we know so far
CCTV shows take-off and crash

Authorities are using DNA from living relatives to identify bodies.

One hospital staff member told me: "Some are charred beyond recognition and it's really bad."