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Air India lone survivor narrates experience says ” I thought I was dead until my eyes opened
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The only survivor of 242 people aboard a London-bound passenger plane that crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Friday said how even he was struggling to explain how he miraculously walked out alive from the fireball explosion.
“Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn’t believe how I managed to come out alive from that,” British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh said from his hospital bed on Friday, speaking in Hindi to national broadcaster, DD News.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane, which was full of fuel as it took off for a long-haul flight to London, exploded into a burst of orange flame on Thursday afternoon just after taking off.
Ramesh — who was in seat 11A according to media reports — was the only one aboard the plane not to be killed, with at least 24 others killed on the ground.
His brother was also on the same flight, his family in Britain told reporters.
“Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly… it felt like something got stuck… I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane’s green and white lights turned on,” Ramesh said.
“After that, the plane seemed to speed up, heading straight towards what turned out to be a hostel of a hospital. Everything was visible in front of my eyes when the crash happened.”
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, paid a visit to Ramesh on Friday at the hospital where he is being treated for burns and other injuries, footage on his YouTube channel showed.
‘About To Die’
Ramesh, aged 40, is from the British city of Leicester, according to Britain’s Press Association news agency, which spoke with his family at home.
The plane smashed into the buildings just outside the perimeter of the airport.
Rescue officials are seen near the wreckage of Air India flight 171 after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.
“Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive,” he said.
“I saw the air hostess and aunties and uncles all in front of me,” he said, his voice trailing off in emotion, using a term of respect used in India for older people.
Rescue officials carry a victim’s body at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.
“I unfastened my seatbelt and tried to escape, and I did,” he said.
“I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel. Where I landed was closer to the ground and there was space too – and when my door broke — I saw that there was space, and I thought I could try to slip out,” he added.
Videos shared on social media showed Ramesh soon after, dressed in a bloodied t-shirt and limping, but walking toward an ambulance.
“My left hand got slightly burnt due to the fire, but an ambulance brought me to the hospital. The people here are taking good care of me,” he said.
Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian on board the flight bound for London’s Gatwick airport, as well as 12 crew members.
The death toll currently stands at 265, police said.
Authorities have set up DNA testing for relatives of passengers and those killed on the ground to identify the scorched bodies and body parts.
AFP
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Just in: Court fires 2027 APC candidate, orders fresh primaries
The Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, has sacked Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura as the 2027 All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Zamfara North Senatorial District and ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary election.
Justice Hassan Dikko issued the order on Monday after hearing arguments from the parties involved in the case.
The judge directed the APC to organize another primary for the senatorial district within 14 days of the judgment.
The court’s decision followed a suit filed by APC senatorial aspirant, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who challenged the validity of the primary election conducted by the party.
Kaura had emerged as the winner of the APC primary held on May 19, 2026.
He reportedly secured 65,642 votes to defeat other aspirants who participated in the contest.
Among those who contested against him were Shinkafi, Hannafi Musa-Moriki and Tijjani Yahaya.
The court’s latest ruling has therefore cancelled the result of the earlier primary, meaning Kaura can no longer rely on that election as the party’s candidate for the district.
The APC is now expected to conduct another primary within the 14-day period ordered by the court.
The fresh exercise will provide the aspirants with another opportunity to compete for the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Shinkafi, who took the matter to court, welcomed the ruling and said the decision was a positive development for his legal challenge.
News
Former Osun deputy gov snubs Adeleke’s appointment into UNIOSUN governing council
Ex- Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs Titi Laoye-Ponnle, has declined her nomination as a member of the governing council of Osun State University, UNIOSUN by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
It was gathered that the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, conveyed Laoye-Ponle’s decision to the governor during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Osogbo, on Sunday.
Basiru said the former deputy governor would have joined him on the visit to personally explain her position, but could not be present.
Basiru noted that the former deputy governor is currently holding the position of chairman of the Governing Council of a federal institution.
“She said I should tell you she is not concerned about capacity, but she is presently the Chairman of the Governing Council of one of our federal institutions,” Basiru stated.Ordering Custom Wall Maps
He added that Laoye-Ponnle thanked the Governor for the consideration and expressed her willingness to work for the success of the state at any other time.
Governor Adeleke, on Friday, dissolved the Governing Council of the university and constituted a new council to strengthen the administration and governance of the institution.
The newly constituted council has Prof. Adewale Oladipo retained as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman.
Other members of the reconstituted council are Alhaji Gbadegesin Lawal; Otunba Titi Laoye-Ponnle; Mr Akinola Franklin Omoniyi; Chief Funminiyi Awotide; Mr Orija Samuel Adebayo; and Mrs Adewale Adetayo Bola.
Adeleke charged the new council to build on the achievements of the university and provide the necessary support for its continued growth.
The new council members were inaugurated by the Governor on Monday at the Government House.
News
Nigeria’s economy gathers momentum on track to hit $1trn GDP
Nigeria’s economy continues to demonstrate resilience and accelerating growth with second quarter of 2026 real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanding by 4.43 per cent year-on-year, up from 4.23 per cent in Q2 2025 and 3.89 per cent in Q1 2026.The strong Q2 2026 outturn lifted real GDP growth for the first half of 2026 to 4.16 per cent, up from 3.68 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025, a clear signal of sustained strengthening across the economy.Growth is also becoming more broad-based. In Q2 2026, 27 economic subsectors recorded real growth above 3.0 per cent, up from 23 subsectors in Q2 2025, showing that expansion is no longer concentrated in a handful of industries.The productive sectors led the way.
Manufacturing grew by 3.24 per cent, more than double the 1.60 per cent recorded in Q2 2025, reflecting improved industrial output. Agriculture expanded by 4.39 per cent, up from 2.82 per cent, underscoring stronger production and value-chain performance.
Services, the largest driver of growth, expanded by 4.60 per cent, up from 3.94 per cent.The relative stability and steady appreciation of the exchange rate further amplified these gains in dollar terms.
The naira appreciated by more than 12 per cent between H1 2025 and H1 2026, resulting in an expansion of the economy by approximately 17 per cent in U.S. dollar terms over the period, a pace that, if sustained along with the various social programmes of the Government, will meaningfully strengthen dollar incomes, improve purchasing power and lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.Given this momentum, Nigeria is well positioned to consolidate its standing among Africa’s largest economies and to advance toward the Government’s target of a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030.
The International Monetary Fund has already ranked Nigeria among the top 10 contributors to global real GDP growth in 2026, projecting the country to account for roughly 1.5 per cent of world growth this year, ahead of several advanced and emerging economies.
Continued macroeconomic stability, sustained growth across productive sectors, and improving investor confidence would accelerate Nigeria’s progression toward becoming Africa’s largest economy by 2028.
These results underscore the importance of sustaining our reforms and ensuring policy consistency as their benefits begin to reach households across the country.
The Government remains focused on accelerating inclusive growth and translating these macroeconomic gains into shared prosperity for every Nigerian family.Federal Ministry of FinanceAbuja, Nigeria
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