An Air India pilot's final decision may have prevented greater tragedy in a deadly crash that killed 270, leaving one survivor.

Seconds after the distress call, ATC responded but the plane had crashed by then, killing 241 people on board.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, suffered relatively minor injuries and jumped out of an emergency exit next to his seat after Thursday’s crash in the western city of Ahmedabad. His brother Ajay, who was also on the plane, is missing and presumed dead.