An Air India Boeing 787-8 bound for London crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew. The sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh (seat 11A), escaped with injuries, while his brother Ajay perished. Investigators are probing the cause, with pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s final Mayday call suggesting engine failure. The crash also claimed lives on the ground, including medical students in a hostel hit by the plane.
Among the victims were UK-based Arjun Patolia, who had just fulfilled his late wife’s ashes immersion wish, and a British couple returning from a wellness retreat. Meanwhile, student Bhoomi Chauhan narrowly missed the flight due to traffic delays. Social media buzzed about seat 11A’s “luck,” though experts emphasize rear-middle seats are statistically safer. The tragedy marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787-8, adding scrutiny to the manufacturer amid ongoing 737 safety concerns.
