On June 12, 2025, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, miraculously survived the crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which killed 241 of 242 aboard and over 50 on the ground. Seated in economy seat 11A near an emergency exit, Vishwas escaped the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s wreckage 33 seconds after takeoff, becoming the sole survivor of India’s deadliest single-aircraft disaster.
In This Article:
A Flight Gone Wrong
Vishwas, a London resident, was returning from a family visit in Diu, Gujarat, with his brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45. Separated by seat assignments, Vishwas was in 11A while Ajay was elsewhere. Flight AI-171, bound for London Gatwick, took off at 1:39 PM IST but crashed into a hostel at BJ Medical College after a loud noise, likely from dual engine failure or a bird strike. The plane, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabrawal, burst into flames, killing 169 Indians, 53 Britons, and others.
Escape from the Wreckage
Vishwas’s survival was due to seat 11A’s proximity to an emergency exit. “I saw an opening, unbuckled, and crawled out,” he told DD News. “Everyone around me was dead or dying.” Bloodied, he shouted in Gujarati, “Plane fatyo che!” (The plane exploded), before bystanders aided him. At Civil Hospital, Dr. Rajnish Patel reported minor injuries but significant trauma. Aviation expert David Soucie called his survival near 11A’s high-impact zone “incredibly surprising.”
Grief for His Brother
Vishwas’s joy is tempered by Ajay’s presumed death, his body unrecovered. “I can’t find him. Please help,” he pleaded to the Hindustan Times. His family in London mourns, with cousin Ajay Valgi telling CNN, “We’re upset about his brother.” Vishwas’s escape from the often-criticized “windowless” 11A seat is an ironic twist, its exit-row position proving lifesaving.
A Global Story
Vishwas’s survival, dubbed a “miracle” by BBC and CNN, drew visits from PM Narendra Modi and condolences from King Charles. As investigations continue, his story of instinct and luck amid unimaginable loss resonates worldwide.
-By Manoj H
