The Miracle And The Nightmare: One Year Later, Sole Survivor Of Air India Crash Fights For Survival And Justice

Jagran Correspondent | Ahmedabad: The catastrophic plane crash in Ahmedabad, one of the most terrifying tragedies in Indian aviation history, is nearing its first anniversary. On the afternoon of June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad bound for London's Gatwick Airport. Tragically, it crashed within minutes of takeoff.

The horrific crash claimed the lives of all 241 people on board, including passengers and crew. Amid the devastating fire and wreckage, only one person miraculously survived. Sitting in seat 11A, 40-year-old British citizen Vishwas Kumar Ramesh became the sole survivor and witness to this tragedy.

As the first anniversary of the crash approaches, Vishwas Kumar and his family have shared the harrowing details of those terrifying moments and the ongoing struggles they face.

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How Did the Miracle Happen?

Vishwas Kumar Ramesh was seated in 11A, a window seat on the left side of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, right next to the emergency exit. After spending a long time undergoing treatment at the trauma ward of Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital, Vishwas made a startling revelation to doctors and investigators about how he survived. He clarified that he did not jump from the plane. Instead, within 30 seconds of takeoff, a deafening, ear-splitting sound echoed through the cabin, and the aircraft crashed.

As the plane broke into pieces upon impact, Vishwas's seat was ejected from the main fuselage. This sudden ejection is what saved him from being consumed by the intense fire and thick black smoke that instantly engulfed the rest of the aircraft.

"Everything happened so fast that I couldn't comprehend it. When I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by a sea of bodies and plane debris. I was absolutely terrified. Soon, local residents and ambulances arrived and rushed me to the hospital," Vishwas recalled.

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Plane Collided with Medical College Hostel

The ill-fated Air India flight had departed the runway at 1:39 PM. According to ATC data, the aircraft had barely reached an altitude of 600 to 800 feet when the pilot issued a 'Mayday' distress call, signalling a severe emergency. Within minutes of takeoff, the twin-engine widebody aircraft lost control, rapidly lost altitude, and crashed into the dormitory (hostel) block of the nearby BJ Medical College.

The impact was catastrophic. Not only did it kill all 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, but it also claimed the lives of 19 people on the ground inside the hostel. The casualties included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.

Among the victims was Vijay Rupani, the former Chief Minister of Gujarat and senior BJP leader, who was travelling on the flight. The official investigation into the incident, which includes analysing the Black Box (Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder), is currently in its final stages.

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One Year Later: The Unending Physical and Mental Trauma

Vishwas Kumar Ramesh has been living in London with his wife and children for the past 20 years. He had come to India to visit his family and was returning to the UK with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who tragically lost his life in the crash. Remembering the incident causes Vishwas to weep inconsolably; he remains trapped in deep psychological trauma, preferring isolation and avoiding social interaction.

A year later, Vishwas and his family are still struggling to cope with the profound physical and mental aftermath. Reid Seeger, a retired UK lawyer and emergency management consultant who is currently acting as the Ramesh family's official spokesperson, highlighted their dire situation. He has appealed directly to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson to personally meet the family and arrange a comprehensive rehabilitation and welfare package.

According to Seeger, the interim compensation of £21,500 provided by the airline is completely inadequate to cover the family's daily expenses and expensive medical treatments. Before the tragedy, the family ran a fishing business in Diu. However, following the accident last June, the business ground to a complete halt, plunging the family into a severe financial crisis.

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