Ahmedabad plane crash: What saved Viswashkumar in seat 11A? Lone survivor recounts horror

Viswashkumar Ramesh, a UK-based businessman, miraculously survived the Air India Flight 171 crash that killed 245 others. 

In a tragic event, Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Dreamliner, crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of at least 245 people. Among the wreckage, there was only a single survivor- Viswashkumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old UK-based businessman from Diu. He had been in London for 15 years now.

How did he survive the crash

Viswash's recollection of the events is hazy, punctuated by vivid flashes: a violent jolt, the pilot's trembling voice shouting "Mayday," and a desperate leap through smoke and debris. His cousin recounts that Viswash jumped without thinking, opening his eyes to find himself outside, covered in blood, and shouting for help.

Search for answers

As Viswash lies in bed 11 of ward B7 at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, he is left with a haunting question: "Where is my brother?" His brother, seated across the aisle in 11J, did not survive the crash. The only solace for Viswash is that his seat, 11A, proved to be his lifeline. Videos of Viswash walking barefoot went viral on social media and he was shouting “Plane fatyo che" (The plane has exploded). He and his brother boarded the London-bound flight after waving goodbye to their family just hours ago.

Tragedy of unprecedented proportions

The crash of AI 171 is India's deadliest single-aircraft disaster, claiming the lives of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, doctors, students, and passengers. The Boeing 787-8 slammed into the residential quarters and mess hall of B J Medical College and Civil Hospital, mere kilometers from the runway's end. Rescue teams retrieved over 290 body bags, a reminder of the tragedy's scale.