New reports suggest that an object flew off the Air India plane just seconds before it crashed into a residential area.
The London-bound Dreamliner had just left Ahmedabad Airport when the pilot issued a desperate mayday call: “Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.”
The aircraft, barely 400 feet off the ground, lost both engines in what is being described as a terrifying freefall. It smashed into a hostel used by medical students, turning the building into an inferno.
In chilling footage of the crash, a large object is seen spinning away from the aircraft just seconds before it explodes into flames, per the Daily Mail.
Experts believe it may have been the very emergency door next to seat 11A, occupied by Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was the lone survivor of the flight.
Professor John McDermid from the University of York said: “Also, being by an exit door means you can get out quickly, which greatly increases the chance of survival when there is a fire.”
Edwin Galea, director at the University of Greenwich, told the Telegraph: “The survivor's seat is 11A and on the 787-8, that's right by the number two exit.”
“So he's got the seat as close as you could possibly be to an emergency exit. You can't be any closer.”
“It's right on his side and he's actually in the A seat, which is the window seat. You could reach up and touch the door, you're that close to it.”
Reports from Reuters said Vishwash jumped out of the emergency exit. His boarding pass confirmed his identity and seat number.
Vishwash’s older brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, was also on board but tragically did not survive.
“We were all in shock as soon as we heard what happened, just utter shock. Speechless,” Nayan said.
“It’s a miracle Vishwash is alive. But we’ve lost Ajay. It’s devastating. I’m terrified to even fly now.”
Cited by the Daily Mail, two leading theories have emerged: a bird strike that may have disabled both engines, and possible issues with the aircraft’s flaps.
Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar said: “From the footage I have seen, it looks like prima facie the case of multiple bird hits. The takeoff was perfect.”
But others pointed to possible mechanical failures.
Marco Chan of Buckinghamshire New University speculated the flaps may not have been properly deployed. Former pilot Terry Tozer told Sky News: “An issue with the flaps was a reasonably logical explanation for a well-designed aircraft sinking to the earth in this way.”
The aircraft had been recently serviced in March.