"30 seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise....": survivor recalls Air India horror

The only known survivor of the tragic Air India crash has shared his harrowing experience, as authorities confirmed more than 290 people were killed when the London-bound plane crashed in Ahmedabad.

The plane, which was carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, leaving a devastating trail of wreckage and loss.

Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer, said the survivor was confirmed to have been sitting in seat 11A.

“There could be more survivors among the people in hospital,” she added.

The survivor, identified as 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar, spoke to an Indian media outlet from his hospital bed.

"Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," Viswashkumar said.

"It all happened so quickly."

Describing the moments following the impact, he added: "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital."

Viswashkumar said he had been travelling with his brother, Ajay, who was seated elsewhere on the aircraft. “He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he pleaded.