Air India: Ambulance Driver Shares Observations About Only Survivor Before Taking Him to Hospital

• Satinder Singh Sandhu, the first responder at the scene of the Air India plane crash on June 12, shared his observations of the lone survivor
• An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, with only one survivor among 242 on board
• Sandhu described what he saw upon arriving at the plane crash site and claimed that he saw two people emerge from the aircraft's wreckage

An ambulance driver, Satinder Singh Sandhu, who was said to be the first responder at the scene of the Air India plane crash on June 12, shared what he noticed about the only survivor.

A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, India, with Vishwash Kumar Ramesh miraculously escaping.

Less than a minute after taking off, the aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad and erupted in a fireball.

The plane was headed for London’s Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom with 242 people on board, and only one survived the crash.

As reported by Indian broadcaster NDTV, Sandhu explained that he was eating lunch when he heard the sound of the plane going down.

Ambulance driver describes Air India plane crash

Sandhu stated that when he heard the explosion, he rushed out and saw thick smoke coming from one of the hostels.

His phone rang and he rushed to the scene, where he received confirmation that a plane had indeed crashed in the city.

On reaching the spot, he called his manager, Jitendra Shahi, and called for more help, stating that a plane had crashed.

He said in the call:

"There has probably been a plane crash. Send the fire brigade.”

Ambulance driver shares observation about lone survivor

The crash occurred around 1.39 pm. By 1.43 pm, Sandhu had reached the spot and said he saw a heavily burned security guard.

He told NDTV that he also saw the lone survivor of the crashed AI171 aircraft, Ramesh, somehow walking away from the scene.

Sandhu said that the British national attempted to go back to rescue his brother. Unfortunately, his sibling was among the 241 victims.

The ambulance driver then rushed Ramesh to the hospital, where he underwent treatment and was admitted for days before being discharged to attend his brother's funeral.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported on the owners of Air India stating the amount they would pay to the families of the victims of the tragic plane crash.

Six days after the fatal crash, Ramesh was discharged from the hospital, his face still covered in bandages.

He waited with a limping gait as he left the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and later attended his brother's last rites.

Support crucial as survivor begins to heal - Psychotherapist

As the lone Air India crash survivor begins recovery, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Babalola Olajubu says healing is not a “one-size-fits-all process.”

He told Legit.ng that a survivor’s reaction is shaped by:

“Their personality, resilience, past experiences, and the kind of support they receive. What matters most is that survivors are not left to carry the weight of their trauma alone. With timely psychological intervention, community support, and a non-judgmental environment, many individuals can recover, rebuild their confidence, and gradually regain a sense of emotional safety.”

Air India offers support to victims' families

The management of the airline said that it had contacted the victims' families and opened carelines for assistance.

A part of its statement read:

"Air India remains in mourning on the tragic loss of 241 passengers and crew members aboard flight AI171. Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and communities affected by the accident. We have established contact with the next of kin/relatives of all passengers and crew members, expressing our condolences and helping them with the next steps.

"Over 400 family members have reached Ahmedabad and are being assisted by our teams on the ground. Every affected family in Ahmedabad has been assigned at least one caregiver by Air India. Air India is working closely with other Tata group companies to provide every possible assistance to the families and loved ones of those deceased, which remains our number one priority."

Teenage boy killed by Air India crash

In a related story on Legit.ng, a teenage boy who was resting near his family's tea stall was tragically among those killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash that has left India shaken.

When the crash happened, the boy’s mother, Sita, who was unaware that her son was sleeping nearby, managed to run and survived with injuries that left her in an intensive care unit.

Joseph Omotayo, the HoD of the Human Interest Desk, contributed to this report, adding India Air and details about Vishwash's health.

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a clinical psychologist for this report.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng