On 12 June 2025, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed into a medical college building 33 seconds after take-off, killing 260 people and leaving a single survivor. A year on, that survivor – Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national from Leicester – has called for “honesty, transparency and answers” as investigators have yet to publish their final report. He lives with “significant psychological scars” and financial hardship, and lost his brother in the disaster.
The crash killed 241 people on board – including 169 Indian nationals and 52 Britons – plus 19 people on the ground. Another 67 were seriously injured. Ramesh, 39, crawled out of the wreckage and was later described his survival as a “miracle”. But his trauma continues: he cannot return to work, his family lives on less than £1,000 a month, and he has received only £21,500 from Air India to support his wife and five-year-old son. His representative says neither he nor many affected families have received direct contact or tailored support from the UK government.
“Explains the 2025 Air India crash, the sole survivor's demands for answers, and the unresolved investigation.”
A preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, released 30 days after the crash, found that both fuel switches had moved to the “cut-off” position immediately after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engines. The switches were turned back on ten seconds later, but it was too late. The cockpit voice recorder captured an exchange – “Why did you cut off?” / “I did not do so” – but the report did not name which pilot moved the switches. Media reports have pointed to the captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, 55, while the co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, was flying the jet. A more detailed report from the AAIB was due to be released around the anniversary, but it will not contain a final conclusion.
For UK readers, this disaster is one of the worst aviation incidents involving British citizens in recent years. It raises questions about aviation safety protocols – specifically cockpit procedures around fuel controls – and about how victims’ families are supported after a disaster abroad. Ramesh and other families have complained of a lack of communication from Air India and from the UK government. He is taking civil legal action, with his solicitors stating they will “examine every detail” of the investigations.
Q: What caused the Air India crash? The official cause has not yet been determined. A preliminary report found that both fuel switches were moved to the “cut-off” position immediately after take-off, starving the engines of fuel. Investigators are still analysing cockpit voice recorder data to determine which pilot was responsible and why.
Q: How much compensation have victims’ families received? Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor, has received £21,500 from Air India for his family. Many affected families have reported no direct contact or tailored support from the UK government, and Ramesh’s representative says they continue to face financial hardship.
Q: Will there be a final investigation report? India’s civil aviation minister said in May 2026 that the investigation was in its “last stage” and the report would “mostly” be finished by the anniversary (12 June 2026). However, the report will not contain a final conclusion, and further analysis is expected.
What happens next: The AAIB is expected to publish a fuller report, but without a definitive cause. Ramesh’s civil legal action will proceed, focusing on any findings of “fault, failure or negligence”. Victims’ families continue to press for answers, and calls for greater transparency from Air India and the Indian authorities are likely to intensify.