Forensic teams have reportedly identified nearly all the victims in the London-bound flight AI 171 crash even as the lone survivor, Viswashkumar Ramesh, battles overwhelming grief and psychological trauma. DNA matching has been completed for 240 of the 241 people who were on board, including the crew, with advanced methods still underway to identify the final passenger.
The June 12 crash occurred just minutes after the aircraft took off from Ahmedabad airport, crashing into the BJ Medical College hostel and mess in Meghaninagar. A total of 241 people on board died, and 13 ground victims also lost their lives. Only one man survived—40-year-old businessman Viswashkumar Ramesh, who had been seated next to his younger brother Ajay. The brothers had exchanged a final wave from seats 11A and 11J. Moments later, the aircraft went down.
After being thrown from an emergency exit window, Viswashkumar Ramesh landed on a mound of soil stored nearby for construction work.
While his body escaped the wreckage, the recollections of the episode haunt him still. Now in his hometown of Bucharwadi in Diu, he is reportedly battling sleeplessness, isolation, and severe survivor’s guilt. According to his younger brother Sunny Ramesh, Viswashkumar Ramesh is constantly haunted by the question: “Why only me?”
Sunny shared that Viswashkumar Ramesh has barely spoken since the tragedy and remains tormented by the loss of his brother and the other victims. “He is unable to forget those harrowing moments,” Sunny said, adding that the family avoids bringing up the crash due to his fragile mental state. They have limited contact with outsiders, including the media, to protect him during recovery. Police have not yet taken his statement, and his family believes he is not yet mentally or physically ready.
Meanwhile, identification efforts continue. A health department official noted that all 52 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national on the flight have been successfully identified. The one remaining unidentified individual is believed to be an Indian national. Forensic science experts are employing advanced techniques to recover DNA from highly charred remains. Officials say every effort is being made to ensure the final victim is identified, allowing closure for the family.
So far, 259 individuals have been identified in total—240 from the aircraft and 13 ground victims via DNA, with six more confirmed through physical and facial recognition. A Civil Hospital official confirmed that 258 sets of remains have been handed over to families, including the body of a UK national that was repatriated on Wednesday. Only one unidentified body remains in the hospital morgue.
Officials believe the speed and accuracy of the DNA identification is rare.
A health department spokesperson has said that identifying 253 individuals through DNA analysis in a short period is a huge accomplishment.
He added that all procedures adhered to international standards. This ensures that the victims’ families can perform last rites and access any benefits that they are entitled to.
As technical teams near the end of their forensic work, emotional recovery remains far off for these families. While answers are being delivered through science, for Viswashkumar, who lived when so many did not, healing is still a distant hope.
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