Extraordinary new footage has emerged of the sole survivor of Air India Flight 171 walking away from the plane wreckage while it exploded behind him. The Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a residential hostel for student doctors moments after taking off in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday.

A chilling new video has emerged from the site of the devastating Air India Flight AI-171 crash, showing Vishwash Kumar Ramesh — the sole survivor of the tragedy — walking away from the smouldering wreckage with smoke billowing behind him. pic.twitter.com/Xln3BgmdIr

Incredible new footage shows the sole survivor of the devastating Air India crash walking away calmly from the wreckage — as the aircraft explodes in a huge fireball behind him.

Residents of the building have said they owe their lives to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Captain Clive Kunder.

The incidents follow the devastating Ahmedabad crash involving an Air India 787-8 last week, which claimed 270 lives, including passengers and civilians on the ground. The aircraft crashed into a medical college campus shortly after take-off, triggering a massive blaze.

Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff that last week's plane crash that killed at least 271 people should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism.

An Air India pilot turned back his Delhi-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to Hong Kong airport as a precaution shortly after taking off on Monday, citing a technical issue, Indian media reported. Flight tracking data showed the pilot turning Flight AI315 around less than 30 minutes into the flight from Hong Kong.

Boeing was generating optimism. Then on Thursday a 787 crashed, raising the specter of fresh problems for Boeing and altering the message it planned to send.