Air India plane crash survivor meets prime minister Narendra Modi in hospital

The British survivor of the Air India plane crash has been visited by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Video footage shows Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, talking to Mr Modi while lying on his hospital bed.

The prime minister also visited the crash site.

Air India confirmed Mr Ramesh was the sole survivor of the 242 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed into a medical college shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.

It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787.

There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise.

Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.

Aviation experts have speculated about a number of possible causes for the crash, from both engines failing – possibly due to a bird strike, as happened in the so-called Miracle on the Hudson in 2009 – to the flaps on the aircraft’s wings not being set to the correct position for take-off.

Images taken after the incident showed part of the plane embedded in the BJ Medical College building.

At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured.

Mr Ramesh was in seat 11A, next to one of the aircraft’s emergency exits.

According to Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times, Mr Ramesh said after the crash: “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”

British couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead.

Mr Greenlaw-Meek appeared on ITV’s This Morning earlier this year, and former editor of the show Martin Frizell praised his “vibrancy” and “enthusiasm”.

The Gloucester Muslim Community group offered “sincere and deepest condolences” after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their daughter Sara were reported to be among the victims.

Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, called for people to come together as he announced the deaths of three people from his community.

“Among those lost were Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri, all from our Wellingborough community,” he said.

Mr Modi said the scenes of “devastation” were “saddening”.

He wrote in a post on X: “Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath.

“Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.”

Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson visited the area, according to the BBC, but did not take questions from media.

Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of each of those killed in the crash.

The company said it would also cover the medical costs of the injured and provide support in the “building up” of the medical college.

Air India has set up friends and relatives assistance centres at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad airports to provide support in the wake of AI171’s crash.

“These centres are facilitating the travel of family members to Ahmedabad,” the airline said in a post on X.

UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.

US transportation secretary Sean Duffy confirmed US teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board were also heading to India with support from Boeing and GE Aerospace.

He told reporters it was “way too premature” to ground Boeing 787s in the aftermath of the crash.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.